Not an Ordinary Week
by Soot
Summary: Harry is invited to a private party thrown by all the magical courts and with Michael out of the city with Sanya, he instead invites Thomas. full summary inside .
1. Chapter 1

Title: Not an Ordinary Week

Summary: Harry is invited to a private party thrown by all the magical courts and is told to invite one friend to go with him that is known amongst the courts. With Michael's wife Charity expecting her next child, and Michael out of the city with Sanya, Harry instead invites Thomas to accompany him since no one else could or in their right minds would. But, Harry has no idea what the party is being thrown for and could be putting his brother among others in danger.

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to the Dresden files (wish I did though).

A/N: I've got a friend to check it over this time so my spelling, grammar and so on should be better than last times I am proud to say.

Chapter 1:

I woke up from a not so deep sleep by my rapidly growing in size dog jumping on me. I scratched my head with puzzlement from sleep still clogging my senses when I heard Thomas yell for me. "Harry! There are red, white and black court vampires at the door." On the words red, white and black court, my mind instantly cleared as I jumped from my bed. I had taken to leaving my blasting rod close by with my shield bracelet, and I couldn't remember the last time I took my mothers amulet off. Better safe than sorry with the current war between vampires and wizards still raging.

As I walked to the door, which I was glad to see still stood in the same place I had left it the night before, I walked past my brother who stood looking wide eyed and verging panic. Considering there were vampires at the door for whatever reason, I just had to ask my brother, "What did you do and when to piss off the vampires this time?"

His eyes narrowed at me before answering, "I'd like to stand on the Fifth Amendment for that one." Even with potentially being moments away from having my limbs removed from my torso, I couldn't help but laugh at him.

"This isn't a democracy." I joked, focusing my attention back on the door, raising my blasting rod and getting ready for a battle. I felt my bracelet and my blasting rod buzz with energy as I turned back to Thomas slightly. "Move if I were you." He nodded obediently and moved into the kitchen, if you could call my kitchen a kitchen, and stood well out of the way from any spells that may be cast. "Thomas, I would have said my lab would be a better place, and don't forget to arm yourself, I might need help." I rolled my eyes and took a physical sigh.

"Oh right." Came his voice and he reappeared from the kitchen, pulled the carpet back and lifted the floor door. He disappeared into the lab only to reappear a moment later when I was on the verge off opening the front door and threw a bottle at me. "Vanishing potion you made last week." He answered my query before I voiced it. "In case things get hairy." I nodded at him and smiled. He went back down into the lab and closed the door behind him. I put the bottle on the side across the room, covered the door with the carpet again and went back to answering the door.

I was quite nervous on opening the door. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't going to pretend I wasn't home; they would still be out there till I confronted them so the sooner I did it the better. I just hope the threshold would do enough damage to their powers to allow me a chance at winning, or at least getting even.

I opened the door to find myself in front of two red court vampires, two black court vampires and two white court vampires, of which none of them I recognised. Great, more enemies trying to kill me, or would try to do in the future. "What?" I asked them, "I'm not inviting you in if that's what your waiting for." The end of my blasting rod was white with energy waiting to be released and I was finding that I was increasingly in need of going to the toilet because of the anticipation. I should have gone to the toilet first really.

"Wizard Dresden," one of the two red court vampires addressed me, "you and a person of your choosing are invited to a private party for all the magical courts to attend. You are one of the many wizards invited to this party among other magical creatures." My eyebrows shot up, a party with all the courts present, wizards and vampires alike. What about the war or was I asleep when it ended? The vampire who was talking handed me a scroll already open proving no enchantments had been placed on it, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to check it over though. "It's in a few days time and you are expected to be present. All the information is on the scroll." The six vampires turned away but the red court vampire turned back to me, "oh, and its not fancy dress." The six vampires chuckled as they left. I closed the door behind them; it seemed the whole of the vampire world knew I did a bad impression of Bram Stokers Dracula at Bianca's party a few years back.

I turned and called to Thomas that they had gone. I pulled the carpet back and lifted the lab door and he reappeared looking relieved. "What did they want?"

"Well it obviously wasn't you, I would have handed you over." I commented. "There's a party," I said before he could send a wise arse comment back at me. He's as bad as me really where sarcasm is concerned. "All the courts are invited, wizards and vampires mainly." I carried on looking the scroll over, "oh, and pretty much every magical creature that can be invited to a party."

Thomas gave me a puzzled look. "Your not seriously going are you? Remember last time?"

"I sure do. I started a war supposedly because I can't help myself, remember I live to help and defend a woman in need. Well, women, it's plural, Justine was in need of help too wasn't she." I could see that I struck a raw nerve there because Thomas' face went from puzzlement to a saddened, distant expression. Damn me and my mouth, sometimes I wish I would just shut up. I placed my arm around his shoulders and tried to take his mind of Justine. "Let's go visit Michael. Take your mind of it." I was originally going to say lets go for pizza, but Thomas was banned from every restaurant in the city, which was quite an accomplishment I think. "I need someone to go with me to this party and I can't take a SWAT team, so Michael is the first in line to get asked. Maybe Sanya," I paused for a moment, "Sanya's second in line."

Thomas chuckled slightly with my comment. "Charity said she would have my manhood on a silver platter if I ever showed up at her door again." This I couldn't deny, she had said that, after molly went from trying to impress me to being all over Thomas. I was one thing, but I wasn't a good looking vampire at the end of the day who fed on powerful emotions like lust. I've seen Thomas turn men's heads before, so it wasn't just molly that Charity was worried about.

"You took her seriously?" Thomas raised his eyebrows at me in speculation. "Yeah she scares the shit out of me too. But…" I like to draw this kind of thing out, "she's out of the city, so you're safe. And if it makes you feel any better I'll act bodyguard if molly's around."

"What _you _going to do, attract her away from me with your sex appeal? Please."

"Okay, Mr Wise Arse, have it your way, I'm sure Charity would love to know that an over sexed vampire had a direct line to her daughter."

"Okay, okay, you've made your point! I'm not paying you though." He smirked as I started running in slow motion mouthing 'no' as slow and drawn out as I possibly could. "With that skill you're definitely hired." He laughed. "Right, if I'm going out I want to look respectable. I think tight jeans, tight white t-shirt and a open leather jacket." He looked himself in a mirror and started to play with his hair. "Wind swept and interesting or the classical brush it and see what it feels like doing?" I started to chuckle again. "What's so funny? It's because I take pride in my appearance isn't it?"

"Yeah, I just can't take you seriously in sweat pants." My fast mouth earned me a black eye. Brotherly love, you can't beat it.

…

My brother acts like a woman when it comes to the bathroom. I can never get him out no matter how hard I try. He has vanity issues.

I stood waiting in the little space I like to call the living room pondering what the party was all about. It was a trap, definitely sure of that, that's why I want Michael there with me. It's not like I can't turn up, I'm already held responsible for one war, I don't need another being pinned on me. As I stood thinking, my brother started singing loudly. He broke my concentration so I walked up to what would be considered the bathroom door (as you can guess my apartment is small) and started banging on the door yelling. "Come on, I'm getting old out here!"

Thomas stopped singing, and opened the door and stood glaring at me. We're nearly the same height so he couldn't exactly look down his nose at me, but he would have though if it was possible. "It's an art, looking this good."

"Wow, I take it when you die your leaving your body to the Louvre then."

"You already have one black eye from insulting me, don't make it two. Besides I'm finished." I was going to say finally, but I already had to explain one black eye and I didn't want to make it two, so I smartly kept my mouth shut.

We walked out of the apartment (and I locked it – I'm not Homer Simpson you know) and we climbed into the blue beetle. I knew for a fact that Thomas didn't think much of it, but until he got his own car he couldn't say much against it. It was at the end of the day a set of wheels that worked and got us places that we needed to be.

The drive over to Michael's was uneventful. No flying monkey demons throwing flaming poo (yes, the poo was on fire) at us or being chased by a car full of angry people for whatever reason. I was admittedly getting a bit bored of it all but it kept me on my toes, and who ever else was with me too.

I stood and knocked at the door with Thomas stood behind me. I thought being polite would be a change for me. The door opened and much to my horror stood Charity heavily pregnant and looking murderous, hormones at a guess.

"Harry I thought I said … YOU!" She growled looking directly at Thomas. I heard him gulp behind me; this was one woman he couldn't affect with his charm. "I said I never wanted to see you here again! You're a dead man vampire!"

I wasn't sure if I was glad to be in-between them. If I wasn't, Thomas was about to get taught the meaning of pain, but by being there I was stood nose to nose with a pregnant psychotic women who hated me. "Charity, remember, stress isn't good for the baby." She looked at me for a moment and then punched me in the same eyes as Thomas had done.

"God Charity let up, you know he's an idiot, and I'm much too handsome to become a punch bag."

"It's not too late for me to move you know Thomas." I said.

"Get off my property, before you know what pain I can inflict!" She spat in my face. "Both of you!"

"Charity, say it don't spray it for heavens sake." I must have had some guts stored somewhere to say that to her while she was lining me up for another punch. "Charity, murder means prison so you can't kill us. Okay, so take it easy. We're here to see Michael." I turned and looked at my brother. "You, shut it. She hates us enough without you fuelling the fire." I turned back to charity who stood with her arms folded in the door way. "May we please see Michael?" I plastered the cheesiest grin on my face possible and she snorted at it, which really hurt my feelings.

"You know that's not very lady like." Commented Thomas. Charity's eyes latched straight onto him.

"Thomas, what did I say about shutting up?" I didn't need to turn around; I just elbowed him in the stomach. The grunt behind me was enough evidence that it worked.

"You can't, Michael and Sanya are in Canada helping out an old friend. They won't be back for a few more days." Charity said.

"Harry? I think there's a problem developing." Came Thomas' voice from behind me.

"Yeah tell me about it." I replied deep in thought.

"No, molly's coming down the street. That's the problem. I think we better leave." Molly, oh god, if she lunges at Thomas again Charity will see to it that he will never have children.

"Right, time to leave, thanks Charity for … whatever you did for us. Tell Michael we said hi." Both Thomas and I went running back down the driveway with Charity still stood in the doorway watching us like a hawk.

As we reached the car at a full run, Molly was close enough to see it was us. "Hi Harry," she sang at me, "Why, hello Thomas, long time no see." She said in a sultry voice. Thomas never stopped to wave back, but instead jumped in the passenger's window which he left open on our way here while I started the car. We both yelled 'hi' back as I put the car in gear and began to drive away. That was a close run thing and I didn't care to do often, if not at all. We escaped from that one with our lives as well as our limbs. Give me a giant flying monkey demon to fight any day of the week; I'd have a greater chance of winning.

…

Morgan was stood waiting for me in the car park as I pulled up outside my apartment. My heart missed a beat as his eyes focused not on me, but on Thomas. This wasn't going to be good.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Morgan's eyes were piercing and I could see out of the corner of my eye that Thomas was getting increasingly worried. With the war against vampires, wizards didn't look at vampires with too much respect these days, even if they didn't receive all that much respect before.

I slipped out the door of the car and stood looking at him at my full height. I wanted to keep this as low key as possible. Somehow though I didn't feel I was going about it the right way.

"Dresden." Morgan growled at me in a low voice, his arms folded across his chest in a business manor.

"Donald." I replied with a brief nod of my head.

"Shut up Dresden! You know that's one step away from my full name!" He hissed at me. I actually didn't know that there were only three parts to his name, but still. "You of all wizards should know how dangerous that is." True, I did, which made it all the more tempting for me to tease him.

"Relax; I don't know your full name to give away to some horrible, salivating demon bent on world destruction. If I did I would have done it by now." I gave him my famous grin of assurance which only earned me a freezing cold stare. Sometimes I feel so unappreciated. "What are you here for then Morgan?" I don't even have to put my foot out of line these days to have him knocking at my door.

Thomas appeared from the passenger side of my car looking uneasy. If I was a vampire I would be a bit uneasy too. Morgan looked at him and started to grin. "I'm not here for the vampire. If I was, I would have been around months ago. News Dresden, you're not that good at being discrete."

"More like you've been spying on me." I hate it when people do that. "Okay, with that out of the way, why are you here?"

"I received an invitation to a party in a few days time. It seems suspicious so I want to know what part you're playing in this." While he was talking I was locking my car door and Thomas was copying my example. Like I said, better safe than sorry, and I'm quite affectionate of me blue beetle.

"Funnily enough Harry's in the same position. Did you get six vampires come to your door to deliver it?" Thomas commented.

"Okay, can we all carry on this conversation behind closed doors please?" I walked past Morgan and to my front door, Thomas close behind me. Credit where credits due, he isn't as stupid as people are lead to believe. Morgan followed us in after he made me invite him in. Does he still think I'm going to attack him? What do I have to do to get a break? "Hey Morgan, do I need to check my scroll for enchantments or is it safe?"

"Okay, you're not the one behind the party." He sounded almost disappointed by that. "You're not the mastermind type, bit too thick in my opinion." Okay that comment hurt. "So who has organised it, and why? What do they want to achieve?"

"Questions I want answering not to put a to finer point on it." I replied. I sat down heavily on the sofa while Thomas went to the kitchen to fetch some beers. "Do you want one Morgan?" Morgan shook his head at me. "Still on duty, I understand." Thomas reappeared with two cold beers in his hands and handed me one. He then sat down next to me and tried to look unobtrusive. "So Morgan, who have you invited to go with you?"

He looked up from my invitation. "Ebenezar McCoy."

"Good wizard to be stuck in a tangle with, even if he's not in my good books presently." I commented bluntly.

"Who you taken then Dresden?" I could almost hear the anticipation in his voice. "Hopefully not someone who like to start wars."

"I'm not sure what your insinuating," I sure as hell did, "and I do know who I'm taking. I'm taking Thomas." Thomas chocked on his beer as I said this and Morgan looked stunned.

"What? You're taking a vampire to what come be a vampire buffet! I know you're insane Dresden, but even you can see the flaws in that logic." Morgan looked enraged.

"Yeah, what gives?" Thomas asked." Why you asking me when you can ask Kincaid, that mercenary half demon bloke. Wouldn't he be better than me?"

"You're invited, like it or lump it. Besides, Kincaid charges way too much." I chuckled slightly. "And besides, he's in Peru at the moment dealing with some red court vampires. If I did invite him I would be causing a stir. I don't want more attention on me than there already is."

"Bad luck there Dresden. Besides, I've been contacted by him; the Archive has been invited also and he is going to the party as her invited friend." Morgan grinned. "Nice to see your vampire half brother will finally be some use to you."

"Excuse me; I'm a lot of help to Harry." Oh god, here we go. I could see where this was going.

"What, bringing him beers? Yeah, you're a great sidekick." Thomas flew up from the sofa. I did also and shoved him back down. "Aren't you supposed to be protecting Harry and not the other way around?" Morgan continued.

"Okay Morgan, that's enough. Either you're civil or you can leave, and no matter how much I want to deny this, I need your help. How many people do you know have been invited? I don't like this idea of a party, and you saying Ivy's been invited makes it all the more suspicious."

"That I can't disagree about. I'll find out, vampires too. There might be a link." Morgan didn't look happy I was giving him missions to do.

"Yeah, can you tell Ivy and Kincaid to meet here two hours before the party so we can get some ground rules set out? You and Ebenezar too, I don't want anyone we know walking into that party unprepared."

"Okay. Dresden, don't order me around like that again!" Morgan stormed out of my apartment and slammed the door behind him. I shrugged my shoulders at him, big fish little pond syndrome probably, or just power mad. I turned and went back to look at my scroll. Come to think about it, I didn't know when or where the party was at yet. Some days I swear I should have been born a blonde.

Looking over it I learned that the party was on this Tuesday night and started at 9pm sharp. Tuesday night, what an odd time to have a party. I always thought parties that were any good were held on Friday or Saturday nights. I must be old fashioned thinking the idea was not to go to work with a massive hangover the next morning. Oh well, it said Tuesday night so that meant Tuesday night was party night. As I kept scanning through the scroll to find the place the party was at, Thomas started questioning me on what Morgan had said about him.

"Harry, you don't really think I'm a useless over sexed vampire do you?" he added insults he'd been called on other occasions to add effect, including insults from me.

I looked up and shook my head at him. "Don't pay attention to him; he was just getting at you." I looked back down at the scroll again, but Thomas wasn't going to let it go.

"Is that some form of code to say that you agree with him, that I'm only good for bringing you beers." Thomas really did sound hurt. Wow, thanks Morgan for leaving me with an upset, insecure vampire.

I stood up fully and addressed him, making sure that my attention was in no why on the invitation. "If I thought you were useless would I have invited you to that party? You're not useless, I trust you with my life. The reason you weren't my first choice for this was because you're the only family I have left. I wasn't going to risk your life in some stupid adventure."

"Thanks Harry." He grinned at me. "I just needed to know that I was of some use to you."

I was about to turn back to my scroll when a knock came from my door. If there was a Deity somewhere, he didn't want me reading the scroll. I went to the door and opened it to find Billie stood there with Toot-toot.

"Harry, Toot-toot has been invited to this strange party and he's invited me as a friend. We want your opinion on it." Billie was straight to the point, missing out the formalities we usually went through. I couldn't stop feeling this sinking feeling that the party was a cover for something else, so I invited them in to talk to them.

"I smell pizza." I couldn't help but admire toot-toot's sense of smell, but then again, pizza was the main staple in his diet.

"Yeah we had pizza last night," Thomas chipped in from the sofa, "there's left over's in the kitchen if you want them." Toot-toot instantly disappeared into the kitchen, and after ten seconds worth of pots and pans crashing I could hear him eating it.

I looked at Thomas. "You're tidying that mess up you know." He shrugged his shoulders at me and sprawled out across my sofa. "Couch potato." I commented before turning to Billie. "Who got the invite? Summary form if possible."

"Toot-toot got the invite, and he invited me because he remembered me giving him a pizza last week. I told him it was on your orders but he wouldn't have any of it and said that I was to accompany him to this party. I said that there's something funny about it when he mentioned vampires so I said we should come and see you." Billie finished his summary of the happenings.

"Wow, this list of magical folk attending that party is beginning adding up Harry. You're not the only one to get dragged into this kid; I get to thank to your friendly local wizard here for inviting me." I didn't even bother looking around at him.

"You've been invited too?" Billie asked me. I just nodded. "There's something funny happening here you know, something suspicious."

"No shit Sherlock!" shouted Thomas from the sofa.

"Billie, meet my half brother Thomas."

"But he's a vampire and your not." Billie looked puzzled.

"Very observant of you." Thomas sat up and clapped his hands. "Would you care to tell me also if Harry here is a man or a woman?"

"Thomas, shut up would you!" I rolled my eyes, "you can be a moody vampire at times you know that."

"I'm in no mood, just talking to Billie here, isn't that so Billie?" I shook my head at Billie and he just smirked back at me in acknowledgement. Thomas sat crossed legged on the sofa now looking amused.

"Back to the point, we're all going together. Me and Thomas," Thomas gave a brief wave, "and Morgan and Ebenezar; safety in numbers is the main plan. We are all meeting here two hours before the party to lay some ground rules, be here if I were you. I've been to parties that have turned ugly fast, not pleasant." Billie nodded as Toot-toot reappeared from the kitchen.

"Is it sorted then? Will there be pizza at the party?" Toot-toot asked in anticipation.

"Come to mine two hours before the party and their will be plenty of pizza for you." Toot-toot seemed encouraged by this, and started doing what I perceived as a pizza dance. "Okay-okay enough. Be at mine two hours before the party like I said."

"Okay, thanks Harry." Billie exited through the door followed by toot-toot who was grinning like a fool.

"Oh and dress reasonably, something you can run in, or in Toot-toots case, fly." I yelled at them as I was stood in the doorway. As they moved out of my line of vision I shut the door and moved back to the invitation. "Where is this damn party being held? I've got to know to attend. Where is the part that says where the damn thing is?"

Thomas yawned and laid back down on the sofa. "It'll be there somewhere." I froze as I read where the party was being held. Thomas must have sensed the change that came over me. "What is it? What's wrong Harry?" He got up from the sofa and stood next to me trying to find where I was reading, and sure enough he found it.

It read:

Party location

Raith Family Residential Manor

Chicago

A/N:Thank you for reading and another thank you for those of you who have reviewed. I know exactly where i'm going with this so don't panic if you think i don't know what i'm doing or even thinking. All will be made clear in time. Chapters should be updated quickly since i've now finished my GCSE's so there will be no two months or so waiting period for the next chapter. All that does is make people upset! I like to try to avoid that if possible, so happy reading! Oh and by the way - i'm blonde - so if you also are, don't take it personally, it's just a stereotypical joke.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Oh great! My day has officially gotten worse in the sense that I was now on the verge of going to a party of which I was now certain of being a trap. Either Lara is kicking up a stink about something, or the Raith family is no longer being controlled by her or no-longer in control at all. Christ, that last one sounded bad. It meant that … hold on did Morgan say he knew about Thomas. Oh shit he did, but why hadn't he told anyone at the council about it? Blackmail! Great, I get no respect from that man. I'll have to wait and see what he wants, but how the hell did he find out?

Billie knew Thomas was a vampire since he first met him, but he didn't know he was my half brother. I know Billie and can trust him that he will keep his mouth shut about the whole affair, and also he's been in combat with Thomas and me before, he knows he can trust Thomas (Thomas did save his butt admitted). With all that's going on in the world presently Billie knows he needs us again soon, and this Tuesday is pretty soon. We can't help if both Thomas and I no longer have our heads attached to our shoulders. Pleasant thought outside alcohol induced fuzziness, that's when I usually think of that consequence.

Raith manor, heck I was glad I had invited my brother now. I'd reluctantly stayed a night there once so I knew a small part of the house, but not all that much. Thomas on the other hand had grown up there, he knew his way around like the back of his hand, finally something good out of this situation that was currently in a downwards spiral. Now to make sure he was still in. I looked up from the invitation deciding that I knew all that I needed to know for the time being. "Thomas, you alright?"

My brother ran a hand through his hair before answering, "Yeah, why shouldn't I be? My sisters a bitch, nothing new there, it's not breaking news or anything." I could see it was clearly getting to him. He hated Lara for trying to kill him but I knew he still loved her. Besides, he was probably worried about Justine who was still under Lara's protection. They were both potential hostages that could be used against us. I must have been quiet longer than I thought because Thomas spoke up again. "This changes nothing, I'm still in. I've got your back Harry."

I smiled with this. "Do you have any idea how much pizza is going to cost me Tuesday evening?" Thomas cracked a smile with this much to my relief. Hey, I couldn't think of anything else to say to break the tension, and I had to say something.

"You're on your own there bro! Remember – broke." Thomas said scooting over to where his shoes were and started putting them on, obviously with the intention of going out for a while. Where, well – I haven't a clue, he's old enough to do as he pleases, even though at times he doesn't act it.

"Yeah-yeah, that's always your reason for not paying for anything." I rolled up the invitation deciding to ask Bob about it and what my chances were of turning up and leaving in one piece. "How long you going to be gone?"

"A while, I have to go write my will since I'm going to that dam party with you." He chuckled softly. Cover up definitely, but I wanted him gone for a while.

"Ok, have fun with that, even though it shouldn't be a long will in your current situation." He gave me the dirtiest look under the sun.

"Bite me!" he said standing up and moving toward the door. Witty comeback considering it was originally mine. "See ya in a bit Harry." Well, at least I got a goodbye.

"Do us all a favour and stop nicking my comebacks, your turning them all into clichés." I yelled at him out of the door. I seemed to be doing that a lot today for some reason.

After closing the door and locking it (if Thomas didn't have his key then he would have to sit on the step again till I let him in), I picked up the invitation and moved into my lab where I awoke Bob from his skull by tapping it with a ruler that I left on the table from the last time I was down there.

"Feh! When they find your body, they will deem it 'suicide by being an asshole.'" Commented Bob as he woke up. He's always grouchy when he wakes up.

"Good day to you too grouchy," I said dryly, "time to earn your keep."

"What mess are you in now? Who have you pissed off and why? What demon have you battered with the metaphorical bat of humiliation?" I picked up a hammer off the side and held it in my hand bouncing it slightly. After threatening to smash Bob's skull with it previously, he takes it quite serious now when I pick it up, makes him very nervous. "Okay Harry," he paused, not for dramatic effect, but in order to choose his words carefully. "What do you need to know and what are you planning to do with that hammer?" It's amazing what information you can get when you threaten someone's skull with a large metal object.

"I need your opinion on this invitation." I put the invitation so Bob could read it.

"You'd be best to avoid it Harry. It's a set up; something's going to go down and who ever is doing it is powerful. Notice the symbol in the corner of the scroll." Symbol, I didn't notice a symbol. "It's not a symbol I've ever seen before. Who else is invited to this party?"

"Well there's me and I've invited Thomas, Billie and toot-toot, Morgan and he's invited Ebenezar and a whole load of vampires and magical creatures from all the magical courts."

"Becoming more serious Harry. Wizards and vampires in one place during the war isn't a good thing. You're still lucky nobody knows about Thomas yet." I shifted with discomfort. "Harry, who knows?"

"Morgan, but he's not told anyone yet. I think there's a bit of blackmail coming my way in the near future." I rubbed my head; I could feel the beginning of a headache starting. "I'll burn that bridge when it gets here. So what could that symbol mean?"

"Well … stereotypically, how many sides do you get in war?"

"How many sides in a war, you mean like good and evil? I would say two, but what about the side that doesn't want to fight, like the conscientious objectors."

"Exactly! You are a wizard who doesn't want to fight. Thomas is a vampire of the white court who doesn't want to fight. Toot-toot stuck in the middle of the war and Billie's copying you. Morgan, no matter what he seems like, doesn't want the war and Ebenezar defended you against the council when they tried to hand you over to the red court. With my current information and knowledge, I would say that all that have been invited don't want the war to proceed for one reason or another. Also, I would say that who's been invited has been planned out to a great degree to make sure you're all present without making an intention look obvious."

"Get us all in one place so they can get rid of us all in one sweeping go and..." my voice failed me.

"Make the incident look like a tragic accident." Bob finished for me. "And if you're dead, the vampires can call and end to the war, re-arm and attack years down the line with full force. The wizards will never see it coming till it's too late."

"I'm up shits creek aren't I?"

Bob chuckled. "Without a paddle."

Thinking back over what Bob had said to me I was hoping this was just my paranoia acting up because I'd been invited to a party. But the more I thought about it, the more of what Bob had said made sense.

"Right, we need more information before we go to that party. Bob, you have my permission to come out of your skull and use Mister to go around Chicago and find out some more information. Mainly who's planning it, but anything will be useful right now." A thought suddenly occurred to me. "If I find out you've been in the strip clubs again too, kiss your skull goodbye."

"Alright-alright, don't get your knickers in a twist." Bob said before coming out of his skull. He disappeared up the lab stairs and into Misters fur. Mister didn't look happy with that development but it couldn't be helped. I opened the front door and mister went running out. I couldn't believe how fast that cat could run considering the size and width of him. I looked up at the sky while I was stood in the door, it was getting dark already, the day couldn't have passed that quick could it?

I closed the door behind them and locked it again. Now maybe I could get that much needed sleep my body whined for. As I laid down on the sofa, someone started banging at the door. What's the matter with people today? Thank god I didn't have a phone of any description, hate to think about the amount of calls I would have received today next to the amount of people knocking at the door.

I went against what my body wanted and got up. I was going to murder whoever was at the door. If it was Thomas because he had forgotten the key I was going to kick his butt.

I opened the door to see Michael and Sanya stood shoulder to shoulder, an invitation scroll in Michael's right hand.

A/N: Hello again. Anyone who has read past book six knows I'm way off here from the actual story line. I've only read up to book six and I'm getting the next three this Monday so this story is me going of on a tangent separate from the books after book six. Just to let you know. Again thanks for reading.

Oh, and many thanks to the website and book 'My Cat Hates You' for many great insults. I'm quite unimaginative when it comes to that even though most are still my own or given to me by friends.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I just couldn't believe the day I was having.

"Don't tell me, one of you has been invited to a suspicious looking and sounding party, and you're here to ask me what I think of it. Oh and how was Canada? I hear it's lovely this time of year." Michael smirked at my sarcasm, but his face still showed he was worried about the invitation. He wouldn't have knocked on my door for help if he knew what to do.

"How do you know that's why we're here?" Sanya asked.

"Because I got one too. Most people I know have, as well as a lot of people I don't know for that matter." My head was really starting to hurt now, too much information for my only brain cell to process. I have a brain, but today I didn't feel intelligent at all, if anything I felt that my IQ had dropped through the floor. "Is Sanya going with you to this party then as your invited guest?"

"Yeah since you're already invited," Michael looked tired, "any advice?"

"Yeah, take your swords with you as well as any other weapon you can. It's not fancy dress, that point was emphasized to me by six vampires delivering the invitation, but can you think of anyways you can have the swords on you without them being noticed? I'm taking everything I've got with me, not leaving anything to chance this time around." Michael and Sanya nodded in silent agreement. "Oh, two hours before the party come here, we're going to lay down some ground rules and make sure everyone is full before going to that party so no-one eats from the buffet." Sanya looked slightly puzzled by the buffet line, but Michael knew what I was on about and spared me the humiliation of telling Sanya that I nearly poisoned myself a few years back.

"Right, thanks Harry. We'll see you then. Got to go let Charity know we're back. Is it wise to tell her about this party thing?" I shook my head. "Frightened she'll come around and murder you in your sleep?"

"Call me selfish but yes. I wouldn't want to subtract some of that attention of Charity's from Thomas."

"Your vampire friend? Yeah, she has it in for him. Tell him from me to watch out, I don't want his murder pinned on me because my wife cornered him." I just laughed. "Later Harry." Sanya nodded his head at me and joined Michael walking back to his car. I turned and went back inside, closing the door behind me. It was beginning to get dark outside so I decided on going to sleep in my own bed and not on the couch. I might just be spiteful and put ear plugs in.

…

The best part of living in a basement apartment is the lack of windows compared to more modern day apartments. Because I live in the basement of a century-old boarding house, the lack of windows means that morning light that would usually wake people up and make them all grouchy and sluggish doesn't happen to me on the same scale. My basement apartment has windows, but the windows that I do have are decorated with thick heavy curtains blocking out the outside light.

I slept until about 11am (I know this because of an old 1950 art deco clock – it's new because I fancied like a change). Knowing that the party was the next day, I decided to get up and see if Mister was back with Bob yet. He'd been out all night and he should have found out something about the party, unless he went against what I said and went to a strip club. If he did though he knew what would happen so I don't think he did somehow.

Walking to the front door, I opened it and Thomas slumped in with Mister on his knee. Bob removed himself from Mister and went back to his skull in the lab while Mister got up and walked into the kitchen in search of food. Thomas remained asleep on the floor, unaware that he was now blocking my threshold. I rolled my eyes and dragged him inside.

I crashed onto my couch with a beer when Mouse started to give Thomas a wash. I shook my head while this happened, and just when I thought it couldn't get better, Thomas flung his arms around Mouse and tried to kiss him. I spat out my beer to stop myself choking on it and tipped the remaining bottle on Thomas' face to wake him up before he did something he would regret. I knew that I wouldn't let him live it down, so I took pity while I could still give it.

As he woke up he sounded like he was speaking in tongues. When he finally started to come to his senses he screamed "Oh my God." I roared with laughter dropping the beer bottle to the ground while Mouse gave a satisfied howl. Thomas, much to my amusement, had no idea what to do. After a few manic seconds of mouthing silent panicked insults he stood up, brushed himself down with he head held up high, and stormed off into the bathroom. A few seconds later I could hear water moving through the piping. Well, it was one way of maintaining what was left of his dignity.

Shaking my head I started to consider what I was going to do today. I didn't have all that many ideas about what to do. What could I investigate? Morgan was looking into who else was going so I didn't have to do that. I suppose that I should talk to Bob and see what he had learned; after all it would be a start.

I got up and went back to the kitchen to find another beer since I tipped my last one on Thomas, and then moved into my lab to talk to Bob. What I found out wasn't much help at all.

"I didn't find out anything that can be considered helpful." Bob told me. "There's no one out there with information. I didn't even learn of anyone else going to this party either. It's all very hushed up, and those who are invited are as much in the dark as you are and they aren't publicly announcing that they have been invited."

"You being serious? I rather you told me you were in the strip clubs again." I was trying to convince myself that Bob was having a joke with me, but I wasn't doing a good job at the whole convincing myself part.

"Nope Harry, I did my job and there's no information out there to be had that you don't already know about." Bob didn't sound apologetic about it, but he wasn't acting like a pompous ass either, so he must have felt some pity for me in some way or another. I was getting ready to bang my head off a concrete wall.

I shook my head in denial. This whole event was being hushed up and had no leakages of information that I counted on happening. The image of the word 'trap' came to mind in red flashing lights and large neon green arrows pointing to it in all direction.

This was a disaster in the making.

I said thanks to Bob and left my lab. I didn't want to wait around Bob at the moment because he would start making cracks at how the whole situation was disintegrated around me.

My brother was still in the shower when I came back out of the lab and I decided on dozing on the couch. I didn't feel up to much today and there was only so much I could come up with that I could do concerning the party.

Thinking about escape routes (see, I'm very forward thinking. I'm looking at potential escape routes and ignoring the fact that we have to get clear of the main estate first) I had to make some phone calls about potential rides and drivers. Let me think, there's about ten of us presently, so three cars should suffice as long as they seat four passengers each and a driver.

Thinking of how many wizards were going to be in these cars I decided a fourth might not be such a bad idea, but I would have to think about it; depends if I have the resources to make the resources stretch that far. Less wizards per car, the less damage the car will have to suffer and the more chance the car would keep working during our getaway.

Its great being a wizard!

I was on the phone when my brother walked back in. I raised my hand to him to keep him quiet while I was talking and arranging transport (my beetle unfortunately wasn't going to cut it this time). The phone was giving me a hard time, crackling and buzzing and making it hard for me to make out what was being said at the other end. I'm not inexperienced with this kind of technology threatening to malfunction on me, if anything I was one of the more experienced.

I yelled thanks into the phone and put it back down. "Think they heard you little brother?"

"Don't get sarcastic, it suits you too much."

"So what's the plan about tomorrow then? You must have one by now."

"I'm making it up as I go along." I grinned but it didn't have the effect I wanted.

"Harry?"

"Fine!" I stood thinking for a few seconds when another idea hit me. "Thomas, tell me, how many weapons can you get and hide on you?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The night of the party everyone was on edge.

Well I was, and so was Thomas, but no one else had arrived yet for the miniature pizza party I'm throwing so I can't comment on their state of mind as of that point.

I literally bankrupted myself ordering the pizza, but it's better than being poisoned again. That was no fun and an experience I really don't want to relive.

Billie and Toot-toot turned up first followed closely by Michal and Sanya. They were all dressed casually so they could run fast if the whole thing imploded, the two knights ditching their armour and going with a more unnoticeable line of protection. Next came Ivy and Kincaid. Kincaid looked like an armoured battle tank while Ivy looked like a young girl, quite the opposite extremes. And last but certainly least, Morgan, my favourite Warden in the whole world showed up. Ebenezar was with him as well as a younger man (much younger than my old mentor). He barely looked mid twenties and had natural tanned skin, dark coloured hair and eyes and was slender which was exaggerated in the Warden cloak he was wearing.

"Harry, Harry, Harry." Ebenezar sang as he hugged me. "God awful business this isn't it? But it must be dealt with and it seems I could not ask for a better group then the one present to go face it with." Good old Ebenezar, trying to make a black cloud of a situation have a silver lining, even if he had to make it himself.

"Good to see you too old man." I looked back up and Ebenezar caught on what I was thinking.

"Harry Dresden, this is Warden Ramirez."

"Dresden." Ramirez nodded his head at me and flashed a grin worthy of one of those toothpaste adverts in magazines. In the corner of my eye I could see Morgan stood glaring at me in the corner. Oh, he just had to be different by not accepting a seat.

"Ramirez." I nodded my head back and gave him my grin. "Have a seat, make yourself at home. Everyone else has." He grinned almost insanely at me while he took a seat (I scrounged some old chairs from somewhere – long story don't ask).

I suddenly realised something; he didn't have a friend with him and the rest of us present had. "How come you don't have a friend with you?"

Ramirez looked back to me and shrugged. "Wasn't told to."

"Very suspicious." Commented Ebenezar.

"Suspicious?" I snorted. "Can this whole event get anymore suspicious?"

"I'm afraid so, Ramirez here was invited to attend on his own, no friend, and the fact he's a Regional Commander added in makes it look more like an assassination attempt." Ebenezar said shaking his head. I looked from Ebenezar to Ramirez, who seemed unfazed by it all. Good on him because I was closing in on shaking like a shitting dog.

"Well stick with us and you'll be alright." I said waving my hand in front of me as if trying to squat a fly.

"Oh I plan to." Ramirez said grinning his broad smile again. God he smiles a lot.

"Not only have we got wizards on this team, but we also have two knights, a vampire, a werewolf, a fairy, a missionary and a little girl, and they're all packing some serious fire power and weaponry. What could possibly go wrong?" I got the response I wanted this time. Everyone, apart from Morgan, laughed, chuckled or smiled.

In the type of situation which was looming in the not too distant future, you had to laugh whenever and wherever you could.

I ordered more pizzas than I think I should have; but as I looked over the group in my living room I decided that it was a good idea since I don't know how hungry they all were. That and I could have any leftovers for my meals for the next week.

Whilst waiting for the pizzas to arrive, we went over some basic ground rules for the party.

"Ground rules 101." I said and instantly got everyone's attention. "Firstly, no one eats or drinks from the buffet. The food and drink may be drugged or poisoned." I caught Michael looking at me impressed that I actually learned something from my past experiences. I really hate him sometimes. "Second rule, everyone sticks to at least one other present here tonight. If you see anyone here wondering around on their own, collar them. A single target is a much more attractive than a group of two or more." Everyone nodded their heads. "Rule three, keep all weapons concealed from other eyes. We don't want to cause a fight; but we want to get out of there if someone else starts one so keep your weapons at hand but do not pull them into the view of others unless you have too."

"May I Harry?" asked Ebenezar.

"Sure go ahead." I said moving over so Ebenezar could take the floor. A knock came at the door and I nodded to Ebenezar to keep talking to the group while I answered it. It wasn't the pizzas, but Murphy flanked by Georgia and two SI officers I had met before and helped out in a hairy situation but I couldn't remember the names off. "You wanted drivers, I got you drivers Dresden."

My apartment was notorious for being small, but when you have a small army in it there's barely enough room to breath, not to mention the weapons everyone had brought with them. I invited the four of them in and vowed no more were getting past the threshold that night.

I thought I was the last man alive and still kicking who showed signs of chivalry. Apparently not because Ebenezar gave his vacant seat to Georgia while Ramirez gave his to Murphy. Well, it's always nice to see women being treated like that.

I found myself stood next to the door with Murphy sat on my right and Ramirez stood on my left, waiting for the pizza's to arrive or someone to pass out because of the increasing temperature in my apartment from everyone's body heat.

This could only happen to me in my apartment.

Thomas looked nervous next to Kincaid (name a vampire who wouldn't, disregards to what court they were from) while Toot-toot not far away was growing impatient for the arrival of the pizzas. Ramirez took his cloak off in an attempt to cool down and Ivy sat next to Kincaid just swung her legs over the end of her chair.

Ebenezar continued his speech when there was another knock at the door. I answered it to find it was the pizzas (thank god, I couldn't fit anymore in my apartment even if I wanted to)! I paid and started handing the boxes around. Just about everyone had a different one, and there was me with a plain Margarita.

Everyone ditched the true meaning of the meeting while they ate and settled for talking as they would normally. Laughing and joking about things that had happened to them as well as talking about their families and so on. I was glad I ordered more now with the extra visitors, and there was also a bit of pizza swapping while we ate. I managed to get a message to Thomas sat at the far end of the room to open the windows closest to him for a short time while we ate so some air could circulate around the apartment. We had to close them again though once the meeting went back to the original agenda so no one sent to spy on us could over hear us.

"What's with the cops and the young lady then Harry?" Sanya asked once the talks resumed.

"Drivers." I answered proudly. "They are getting us there, and then they will wait for a phone call from either Billie or Kincaid when either the party has ended or we need to make a quick get away. I stretched my resources for this one I don't mind admitting." A mutter went around the room. "Murphy here," I motioned to Murphy still stood by my side, "wanted to help me like she had done numerous time in the past so she is to be trusted. I don't care if you like that or not, it's a fact, and she has picked out two of the best get away drivers from her department; believe it or not they had a course." A few chuckles went around the room. "Again, I know them and they are good people who are giving their time up to help us, so treat them with the respect they deserve." I looked over to Georgia. "And this young women here is called Georgia, the last of our drivers and Billie's girlfriend, so if you were thinking of hitting on her, don't. Everyone has been split into separate cars to spread out the wizards. Too many wizards in one car and the car will rebel and not work, which isn't the effect any of us tonight are looking for."

"Where will the cars be waiting for our call?" asked Kincaid, he sounded a little bit impressed that I had actually done some work and not blundered into something blind.

"The closest they can get would be the edge of the city before it turns into extravagant mansions and properties. It will take them anything from ten to twenty minuets to reach us but its better than them getting taken out of the picture by something we didn't foresee. I can stand here and say security will get them, or a group of vampires hired by the one throwing the party to cut off the escape routes of those invited, but I'm more worried by what I can't think of getting them. I rather fight for ten minutes and know I have an escape route then know I have no way out at all, and I'm sure everyone else here would too." I turned to Murphy. "You guys armed?"

"Stupid question Dresden." Murphy smiled at me before showing me the two guns on her hips. "We're all armed and ready to kick butt."

"Great, I have something else to add to your arsenal though." Murphy raised her eyebrows at me. "Holy water. Each driver will get three bottles of the stuff. If you get attacked, use them." Murphy nodded at me and I leaned in and said in a quiet voice, "fill them in on when to use them." she nodded and looked at her watch.

"Half hour before the party starts Dresden. Are we going to move then or what?" Murphy motioned for the drivers to leave the apartment and get into their cars.

"Right, I have tried to split everyone up so every car can protect itself by those inside. A range of talents to each car and even though the arrangements aren't perfect, just deal with them." I pulled a piece of paper out of my pocket.

"Very well planned Dresden." Sanya chipped in which made me grin.

"Doing what I can with what I've got." I looked the paper over. "Right, with me I want Michael and Ramirez and Murphy's driving. With the two SI officers I want Ebenezar, Ivy and Kincaid in one car and Billie, toot-toot and Thomas in the other. I don't care what car what group uses, it isn't important. And finally with Georgia I want Sanya and Morgan. Everyone okay with that or does anyone want to moan?"

No one spoke up so the arrangements weren't as bad as I thought. Billie looked like he was about to argue but he never voiced his complaint. I think it dawned on him why I had split him and Georgia up. I just had to hope nothing happened that would make my decision a horrifyingly bad one.

"Right everyone, suit up and get into the cars." I said. "No more toilet stoppages from here on out, you have been warned."

…

Getting ready was better than I imagined it.

It happened swiftly and smoothly, no one got frustrated and tried to lash out at the one next to them, and no firearms went off amongst us. Everyone already came dressed in what they wanted to attend in; it was just the matter of securing and hiding the weapons. I had everything I could get my hands on, amongst the usual shield bracelet, blasting rod, my mother's amulet and my rings.

I was among the first out of the apartment but I wasn't the first.

Ramirez was the first out of the building and stood laughing at the cars. "Harry, what the hell do you call this?" I couldn't help but give out a physical sigh, not at Ramirez, but at Murphy. She and her SI squad had gotten us three 1960's Mini's. Ramirez was howling in laughter and I joined in after ten seconds or so.

"Murphy, why? Why do you hate me? Why are you making us look like the Italian Job on crack?"

Michael and Sanya appeared next to me and started grinning madly. "Is this a joke Harry?" Michael asked trying not to laugh. It was too late for Sanya who had joined Ramirez in laughing hysterically.

"I should have specified what car." I said shaking my head. Then my eyes caught Georgia's car. It was big enough to be the bus off the original Italian Job.

Get your laughs where you can get them folks. There won't be many soon.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The drive was pretty uneventful apart from people laughing at how the mini's looked like the ones off the original Italian Job. I was never going to be able to live this one down.

Murphy's boys though had thought on and brought four radios so communication between the cars was possible. I couldn't help but admire their resourcefulness. They even worked with a group of wizards around!

During the drive, no one attacked us, no ones fire arm went off accidentally and we didn't get lost (GPS's don't work around wizards well). If anything we arrived bang on time because the roads were mainly empty of cars. Strange for Chicago so this rang alarm bells in my head but it wasn't something I could see being a problem, just an advantage for us if we had to make a quick get away.

Thinking back over the arrangements of what people went in what car, I started to feel a little daft about only putting two in Georgia's car. Her car was a freaking military vehicle big enough to fit a small nations' army in along with all their rations, weapons and ammunition.

I should have thought on and asked about what cars were going to be used.

Maybe next time; if I survive this time that is.

The radio sat on the dashboard of the mini buzzed to life with talk between cars. "Shit, I'd do anything to relieve some of this stress." Joked Thomas, but I could tell he was generally nervous.

"Stop being a wimp." I said back through the radio as sarcastically as I could.

"Nice to see someone here is optimistic." Came Sanya's voice.

"He's bloody arrogant is what he is." Kincaid's voice boomed out of the radio.

"That's me!" I said cheerfully. "As always; and there are many more things like that to love about me."

"You're looking at yourself from the wrong direction." Kincaid said.

"And you Kincaid, are on the wrong side of the evolutionary curb." I shot back. I heard Ramirez chuckling to himself, his hand across his mouth trying to hide his smile while Michael sat next to him looked very unimpressed.

"gguurr." Was all I got back from Kincaid.

"gguurr right back to ya." I said before handing the radio to Ramirez in the back seat.

"Well said Dresden!" Thomas said.

"Watch it vampire boy!" Kincaid growled.

"I don't trust any of you as far as I can throw you." Thanks Morgan for the great leap of faith in me.

"Cool your jets, all of you." Ramirez shot across them all.

"Well said young man!" came Sanya's voice again.

"I second that, Ramirez, well done." Ebenezar spoke up for the first time.

Morgan growled across the radio again. "Ramirez, give the radio here." I motioned for him to give it back to me. "Who invited the dog?"

Ramirez slid down in his seat laughing while the radio came to life with laughter.

"Dresden pissed on someone's bonfire!" Thomas yelled laughing.

"He doesn't look happy Dresden." Sanya chipped in again chuckling. "I think he would murder you if you were in the same car."

"Someone's bacon just got burnt!" Billie laughed.

"Oh Morgan you miserable git, cheer up." Ebenezar said.

A small silence followed and was broken by Billie asking, "Are we there yet?"

"No." Ramirez said into his radio.

"Can I drive?" Billie asked.

"No." Kincaid answered.

"You never let me drive." Billie moaned.

"Shut up!" Morgan told him.

"I think its time we maintained radio silence." Kincaid said abruptly ending the conversation and Billie's moans.

"Agreed." Ramirez answered first, followed by Thomas and Sanya.

The radios fell silent again.

"Well, that was interesting. We nearly had a civil war on our hands there. We nearly did the Red Court vampires' jobs for them." I said shaking my head.

"What part of it would have been civil?" asked Michael.

"With Morgan involved; nothing." I commented bluntly.

"I hear you there." Ramirez sighed.

"Thinking of what was said," Michael began, "When are we going to get there?"

"Murph?" I passed the question over to her.

"Soon." She said dryly.

"Great answer." I muttered.

No one spoke again until we arrived at the Raith Manor. The driveway that leads up to the manor looked like I remembered it, but it gave me no comfort in my mind.

What was comforting about walking blindly into the lions den?

We reached the security gates and Murphy pulled over.

"You've not been invited." The security guard looked Murphy over.

"Do I look like I'm staying?" she shot back. "I'm dropping this bunch off."

"I cannot let you pass."

Murphy looked over to me. "Your stop Dresden."

"Thanks Murphy." I said to her motioning for everyone to get out. "Phone still work?"

She pulled it out of her pocket, flipped it open and nodded. "You've not broken it yet."

"Be ready for that call, and please don't dawdle when you do." I told her. "Our asses will be up against the wall with the time you'll take as it is already."

"All you do is moan Dresden, shut up for a while." Murphy told me as I shut the door of the mini behind me and walking to stand on the side of the road next to Michael and Ramirez. Everyone else got out the cars and stood to one side of the road to let the drivers turn the cars around and disappear back down the road.

Well, that didn't go exactly as planned; but at least we're here and not insulted anyone yet.

Thomas appeared next to me and lent in to speak to me. "This part of your plan Harry?" He sounded worried under the confident front he was putting on.

"No, like I said I'm making it up as I go along." I commented back quickly. "Thought you would have something though."

"No, I'm clueless." He gave me a small grin.

"What good are you Thomas?" I chuckled at him.

The security guard who had stopped Murphy and the other drivers walked over. "Mr. Raith?" We both just stood and stared at him for a few moments before Thomas finally answered.

"Yes."

"Mr. Thomas Raith?"

I was puzzled.

"Yes."

"Your sister is expecting you; and has informed me that you are to have all that you request for."

And there was me thinking that he couldn't string a sentence of no more than five words together. Personally for a few moments, I thought he would have been lucky to get past three.

"All that I require?" asked Thomas, his eyebrows shot up and threatened to become part of his hairline.

"Anything." The security guard looked over the group. "Do you require transport for yourself and the others?"

"Yes, yes I do. Thank you." The security guard nodded and walked away to arrange it. Thomas turned and looked at me.

"Congratulations Thomas, you've just saved us all a long walk." I said to him.

"What's going on in there Harry?" Thomas asked. He lent in again and whispered. "I'm in exile remember, so why would my sister reinstate one of my powers that she took away?"

"It would be a whole lot simpler if we could just assume that she loved you like a sister should do." I shook my head. "One more weapon to our arsenal though."

The group stood mainly together but in no form of order. Thomas and I were split off from them during our talk, and when we had been talking to the security guard the group had stopped chatting amongst themselves and watched us.

"Good work Thomas; and you didn't even have to lift a finger to do it." I said before turning back to the group who stood and watched us with mounting interest. "Nobody get out their walking boots because we have transport once more." I stated. The group breathed a sigh of relief and I shared their line of thinking. It would be so easy to get attacked walking up there.

"Thomas, how long before the wheels arrive?" I asked.

Thomas shrugged at my question. "I have no idea, new security."

"The vampire got the transport?" Kincaid asked.

"Yeah." I answered.

"And the vampire has a name." Said Thomas dryly.

"Figures." Kincaid said.

"Oh shut up!" I shot at him.

Ebenezar stepped in between us all. "If the group breaks then it's more likely that we will all get killed when the trap gets sprung. Keep together and keep your petty differences silent till a later date."

We all nodded in agreement.

A few minutes later two limos pulled up. They were so big one could have done the job, but I think they knew how many wizards were present so they sent us two to stop us breaking one.

"Wizards split up." was all I had to say; they already knew the drill. Morgan, Ebenezar and ivy and Kincaid went into the far limo while the rest of us went into the front one.

Inside the limo there was everything you would expect a limo to have; drinks, food and a TV. My bets were on the TV not working but we weren't even going to see if my assumption was wrong.

Thomas looked in his element in the limo; Billie looked out of place; Ramirez looked like he could get use to the limo treatment more often; Toot-toot appeared not to care; and Michael and Sanya looked very peculiar yet not out of place.

We looked a right bunch I thought as the limo pulled away and started towards the Manor.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

The party was being held in the grounds of the Raith Manor, in part of the garden I had never seen. I had only been in the garden once, and I had no idea that it was so big. I had only seen one small section of what looked like the equivalent of fifteen football pitches.

But in my terms of thinking at the time; it had lots of space to run and whirl my blast rod around in, lots of places to take cover (sorry trees) and the open space would leave my enemies out in the open (it would almost be like a firing range).

But things had to go to pot before I could do that; and at the end of the day, I didn't want that to happen.

The two limos pulled up outside the manor and we all piled out. Those of us who knew about such social occasions and had previously been to one or two knew what to do while the others were baffled.

"Harry, what do I do when we get in there; you know, the party?" asked Billie. It was highly obvious that he hadn't been to one of these types of parties before, but I was a seasoned expert. Just refer to my track record.

"You do what you do at a party, you mingle." I answered. Billie already knew the law on what to do and not to do like make deals with faeries and so on; I wasn't going to lecture him on it.

We were escorted through the property to the grounds where the party was being held. We were also introduced. Me and Thomas got introduced first because I'm well known for my wit as well as my destruction amongst all the courts that have run into me (and probably those who haven't yet – they'll be quivering in fear if they have heard of me); and Thomas because he's the exiled son of Papa Raith, but mainly because he is still in the possession of the name Raith.

Everyone fell silent when we were both introduced. Thomas leaned over and whispered, "Just like last time."

"Funny man." I said as we started off walking down the stairs. "I'm not dressed as Dracula gone rabid this time though."

"Small improvement." Thomas said as we reached the last step and moved onto the grounds.

Behind us we could hear Michael and Sanya being introduced. They were carrying their swords in large sports kit bags. As I looked around the ground more, everyone was packing as far as I could tell and the atmosphere was dry and tense. It was like the Australian outback when they have had a hot dry season and the ground is like timber; a simple spark could set off a fire. This sent chills up my spine knowing a simple argument, or as little as a word could start off a fight.

I swallowed and tried to put it to the back of my mind.

Lara appeared next to Thomas without me even noticing. That was creepy and worrying.

"Lara." Thomas said to his sister.

"Follow me, both of you." She said in Thomas ear but loud enough for me to hear too. We didn't question why, we just followed but we were extremely cautious though. Just because Lara is Thomas' sister doesn't mean she wouldn't hesitate to kill both him and me if she had to, or simply wanted to for that.

She lead us a short distance away from where we were stood and we followed her around the side of the manor where there were no others from the party and it was there that she turned to speak to us.

"Why Mr. Dresden, I guess that you are that predictable." Lara let out a slight chuckle.

"Predictable?" I questioned her.

"Yes, I predicted you would invite my brother here tonight. I put money on it." she smiled, but not one of those sane smiles that look nice on a woman's face, but one that looked almost insane, but then again I wouldn't put it past her to be insane.

Getting sold on eBay was one thing, but now people were betting on me. I'll be a national attraction soon. "Hope you got your moneys worth." I replied nicely remembering the tension in the air between all the guests.

Lara moved forward and stood next to me. "From what I hear Mr. Dresden, you do not have a great deal of good experiences at such formal events." She purred in my ear. I knew she knew about what happened the last time I was at a party, and I'm beginning to wonder if she thinks I'm going to turn everyone into cinders again.

"Thomas, tell your sister to back off me please." I said, my words slightly heated. I was insulted (kind of) but my words were heated mainly because the sexual attraction that white vampires seem to perspire was working like a charm on me.

"Why did you throw the party Lara?" asked Thomas. He stood with him arms folded trying and achieving the effect of impatient and demanding.

"Dear brother, I threw this party as a show that the courts can get along side by side." Lara answered, a smile pulling at her lips.

"A peace push?" I said. "Your trying to prove that peace can be achieved at the current time even after all that has happened in the war?"

"Yes Mr. Dresden that is my plan." Smiled Lara sweetly. "Would you prefer it if the war was continued?"

Thomas spoke up again before I could get a witty comment out of my mouth. "Why give me the power to boss people around again?"

"You never did use that power much, but I do fear that someone or something is going to crash the party for their own ends. I knew you would be with Harry tonight, and by giving you that power, you could make good use of it if the event of a fight occurs." Lara looked at me. "You thought this party was a trap Dresden; it is; just not from my end."

I thought my night was bad already. It was just getting worse now.

"Do you know who? I mean come on lady, you invited everyone!" I said to her.

"No, I do not know who. You're the investigator after all Mr. Dresden. Go and investigate." Lara turned to leave. "Please excuse me; I have other guests to attend to."

We stood and watched her walk away from us. "Thomas, if we weren't in the state we are now, and she wasn't your sister, I would so kick her butt right now."

"What about how you live to help and protect women?" asked Thomas. He was referring to my chivalry streak I had that was a mile long.

"I draw a line at lady's like her. They don't need protecting; they are the ones who dish out the pain." I shook my head. "This party is taking a turn for the worst."

"That explains why I'm not shocked you're here." Thomas smirked.

"What's that meant to mean?" I quizzed him.

"Wherever you are, destruction is soon to follow." Thomas looked at me. "Don't tell me you've lost your humour now."

"No, I just don't appreciate being blamed for the burning down of buildings and what not. Has it ever occurred to you it's not always my fault?" I poked his arm with my finger while I asked the question to make sure he knew I wanted an answer and that the question was a direct one.

Besides, I wanted an answer because I was curious, and not just because I was being mean to him.

"I don't blame you all the time for the total annihilation that goes on around you, just most of it." He grinned at me and I punched him on his arm.

"Harry! You've given me a dead arm you git." He moaned.

"Serves you right." And he did deserve it. I am not bent on the destruction of public buildings, cars and other things. Why does no one believe me?

We walked back out to the party. There were many people I recognised, but there were also many I didn't.

The one that I recognised that made me internally flinch though was the Black Court vampire Mavra. I had dealt with her before and I didn't like her no matter what direction I looked at her from.

Evil. Sly. Powerful. Scheming.

Just a few words to describe her; I could use others but I won't (I think you know why).

I had no intentions in talking to her and she seemed pretty happy talking to some other vampire from the black court. Why would I disturb that when that would mean that I would have to talk to her?

"Thomas." A mans voice from the left of me said. I turned to see a tall man approaching with a huge smile on his face. My senses were not telling me that he was a threat so I stood and watched. Thomas knew more people than me at this event so I let him get on with it. "It's so nice to see you again." the man said and gave my brother a hug. Thomas looked uncomfortable in the embrace as well as a little confused.

"Hello, my friend." Thomas said when he was released from the hug. "It's been so long."

"Too long." The man replied. "I'm sorry – can I talk to you later? I have so many people I must simply say hello too." He walked away without even saying hello to me but I didn't care, the expression on my brother's face was priceless.

"Who was that?" I asked innocently enough.

"You know what? I have absolutely no idea." Thomas said staring after him. "No idea at all." He shook his head. "I hope that doesn't happen too often tonight."

I smirked at that thought. "You are always attracting people you shouldn't be; why change the habit of a lifetime?"

Thomas opened his mouth to retaliate but it was cut short by a piercing scream and then all hell was let lose. As I watched the crowd, weapons of all size, make and description appeared from nowhere. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I grabbed Thomas and threw both of us to the floor just before gun shots rang out above our heads. It seemed to me that the bullets passed through the space that had seconds earlier occupied our bodies. Worrying thought.

We just simply laid on the ground and watched the scene unfold in front of us.

Vampires were grouping together and cutting down other vampires. Wizards and sorcerers were being targeted by rogue vampires and some bright shit somewhere (that's how angry I am – I can't think of anything educated to call them) managed to get ghouls and Renfields involved as well as the odd demon that was running around.

It was hell.

Thomas and I were caught in the midst of the fighting. We didn't want to fight, but we drew out our weapons and joined in simply to fight our way out. We picked ourselves up of the floor and started fighting back to back. We saw a patch of trees to aim for where all was silent (well, appeared to be) and decided that we should go for it without actually speaking to one another.

I raised my blasting rod and yelled _'Forzare' _and blasted the nearest ghoul to me who just happened to be running towards me. I blasted a lovely sized hole in its chest before I spun on my heels and started blasting and throwing my magic around in another direction, flames erupting from the end of my blasting rod.

I noticed while fighting (I'm an investigator I can't help but notice things, even when I should be concentrating on something else important like in this case fighting and surviving) that Morgan was fighting close to where Thomas and I were. He was doing a good job to, sending vampires flying away from him with powerful blasts of magic. Credit where credit is due – he is a fantastic fighter.

A Black Court vampire ran at him from behind and he would have most probably been killed or bitten if Thomas hadn't appeared from a previous fight and went into a fist fight with it. Morgan turned in time to see the vampire running to towards him but not in time to react, so he saw Thomas attack the vampire knocking it around with just his fists. I appeared next to Morgan when the fighting let up enough for it to be permitted.

"How's the fighting going?" I asked breathlessly as I took out another ghoul. I sent that ghoul for a flying lesson, and when it landed it landed on top of two Red Court vampires. "Who is the best!" I yelled.

"Dresden, this is a fight, not a bowling competition; get a grip." Growled Morgan as he turned and took up a demon in a fight. He had his hands pretty full so I left him to it and did my best to cover him while he fought. Thomas appeared back from his bare knuckle fist fight with a gun in his hand.

"Cheat." I retorted to him as I unleashed more magic.

"You want to fight with a Black Court vampire with just fists?" He almost shouted as he took down a Renfield (don't ask me where they appeared from, they just did).

"We need to get out of here!" I yelled above the noise so my brother could hear. I started to cut a path for us without mercy, killing and injuring anything that I would consider a threat as I passed. Thomas was practically doing the same as he was following behind me, covering my back.

We eventually made it to the trees that we had spotted earlier to find that they were safe for the time being. It seemed like we were fighting for an eternity. We were covered in blood that was not our own and both of us were breathing heavily. We looked back out across the ground and watched the fighting as it progressed. I could see Morgan still fighting a group of vampires with major success. How long could that continue? I also saw Ebenezar and Ramirez fighting a large group of Renfields that had appeared out of nowhere while gun shots with orange flashes of light I could safely assume was Kincaid, and he would have Ivy close by, if not causing damage of her own.

My mind instantly considered the possibility of getting out of there alive. We weren't the simple answer if we had to cross the grounds and then get past the security gate. Whoever had started the fighting obviously wanted it and would have measures so that no one escaped.

Great; just great. I'm stuck at a party that has gone from a peace push to genocide. Just my luck.

Thomas knelt next to where I was and looked across the grounds of the manor and shook his head. "None of us are getting out of here alive if we try to cross that."

"I know. We need a way out or we are all dead." I moaned. Honestly – I had no idea of what to do.

Thomas face lit up with an idea.

"Harry, I think I know a way out of here without having to cross the grounds."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"What!" I said stunned.

"Through the dungeon." He replied. "I can get us to the road."

"How do you know that?" I found it hard not to stutter.

"When I was a kid I found the dungeon; I would be about ten or eleven at the time. I got to look around a little." Thomas smiled at me.

"Thomas you are a fantastic, beautiful man!" I yelled. "Ramirez, Ebenezar, Billie; grab everyone – we have a way out." I shouted at them as they just took cover with me and Thomas. Ramirez and Ebenezar were covered in blood (not their own) and Billie was in his werewolf form.

"You have a way out?" Ramirez asked. "Started to worry slightly."

"Yeah, we need to get everybody." I said to them all again. Nothing like repeating yourself; but the amount needed to be found decreased again as Michael, Sanya and Toot-toot appeared and dived behind the trees with us.

"Where are Morgan, Ivy and Kincaid?" I asked as I looked around the group.

"There!" shouted Thomas pointing his finger in their general direction. Morgan was toe to toe with a red court vampire while Kincaid was firing his gun in most directions and hitting all his targets. Ivy was stood behind Kincaid looking like a little girl would; scared. But that didn't mean that she wasn't fighting, and fighting well.

I raced out of the hiding place and over to them. Ramirez raced after me, covering me as I went to grab Ivy and get her out of the way of the fighting. I grabbed Ivy, throwing her over my shoulder and started running back towards the temporary shelter. Kincaid nearly blasted my butt with his firearm but he didn't when saw it was me running her to shelter with Ramirez covering me. Thomas was also helping Ramirez cover me as I ran back, shooting his gun at anything that even looked like they were going to run at me.

I made it back to the shelter and set Ivy down next to Michael when Ramirez showed up again with Morgan covered in blood that wasn't his own and looking angry; but for once not at me.

Kincaid made it to the shelter after a minute or so more, also covered in blood that wasn't his own. "It's a blood bath out there." he said.

"Well, you don't have to worry about crossing it; we have away around it." I motioned for Thomas to take over.

"There is a dungeon below the house; it leads to a sewer that leads to the road. It's a family kept secret, hardly anyone knows about it." Thomas said. "The entrance is in the manor."

"Do you really think I'm going into the Raith Manor dungeon with a Raith vampire?" Morgan spat at him.

"Yes if you want to get out of this alive." Thomas shot back bluntly.

"I'm in." I told the group. "We have a way out, I'm taking it. Feel free to rejoin the battle if you wish, but you won't get far by the looks of it out there."

"I'm in." Ramirez said.

"Me too." Ebenezar said.

"Since when have you led me wrong, Harry?" Billie ginned back in his human form wearing Kincaid's knee length black coat.

"Everyone else in?" I asked the remainder of the group. A general mutter went around the last of them. I already knew Michael would follow as well as Sanya; I was more worried about Kincaid or Morgan not agreeing to come along with us. "I'll take that mutter as a yes then." I turned back to Thomas. "Right Thomas, lead the way."

Thomas nodded at me and led the way to a back entrance to the mansion. We slipped in by an unknown door around the side of the building and ran down a corridor. We followed Thomas to a large portrait of a man (I assume another member of the Raith family) and he pulled it away from the wall, revealing a door behind it that had no lock. Thomas lent in and whispered something to it and it flew open nearly taking Morgan who was stood in its way by surprise.

Morgan looked angered by that, but Thomas didn't notice because he was already through the door and leading the way down a pair of concrete stairs that was lit by medieval torches. I was bringing up the rear of the group and I was about to close the door behind me when I heard shouts nearby. The fighting was moving inside the house. Taking no chances I closed the portrait first and then the door. Best disguise our exit from potential vampire assassins amongst other things.

I raced down the steps after them to see them waiting for me at the bottom. "Does the door lock on its own Thomas?"

"Yes." He nodded at me. "It needs the words spoke to it again to open again."

"Great, because the fighting is moving inside the house. Hope you don't have anything like a portrait or ornament you really liked in the main halls because I can guarantee they won't be there tomorrow."

Thomas shrugged his shoulders at me. "Don't much care; gives Lara something to do tomorrow." He flashed a grin and me before turning a key in the lock of a door and disappearing inside followed by the rest of the group.

The dungeon we walked through was more or less disturbing and nobody looked particular happy that we had to do it.

It was your typical dungeon; old flaming torches on the wall, skeletons here and there and cold walled cells with doors made up out of bars. The corridor we walked down was dimly lit and cobwebs hung from the ceiling; but oddly enough, few to no spiders occupied them. The corridor was wide enough to have three body builders stood shoulder to shoulder and still have a small amount of room left. At least that reduced the chances of one of our party getting claustrophobia.

"Where does this dungeon come out Thomas?" I asked but I wasn't sure he knew. He only knew the location of it because he stumbled on it once when he was in his youth; about ten or eleven by his reckoning.

"If we keep following the corridor as far as it goes, it should bring us out in underground Chicago." I heard a few behind me inhale sharply. "From there we can get to the underground sewage tunnel and crawl through a manhole and out on to the road for Murphy to find us."

"When we get there, Ivy gets carried." I looked at Kincaid and he looked at me like I had just stated the obvious; and thinking about it I probably had.

"Where will we come up?" Asked Michael taking a torch from the wall.

"The road that leads past all the other mansions in the area; the road we travelled here on." Thomas answered honestly.

"How do you know this? I thought you said you stumbled on this when you were ten?" I asked moving next to Thomas as we walked.

"Little boy's like to explore when their dad's aren't looking." He smiled.

"With your dad, suicidal, but I'm not complaining." I smiled back.

"Do you think we're being followed?" asked Billie aiming it at no one directly.

"If we were we'd know about it by now." Answered Sanya.

"We ran off before anyone noticed we were gone." Said Michael.

"I don't think many would know that this place exists." Said Thomas. "It's lucky right now I do."

"Yeah, and none off us are injured." Ramirez said.

"You were sent flying kid." I almost laughed. "And you landed on Morgan."

"He cushioned the blow. Thanks Morgan for being a great cushion for me to land on." Ramirez said. "And I'm not a kid."

"Yes you are!" I chucked back.

"No I'm not. I'm twenty four!" Ramirez argued.

"That's numerical for kid in the magical world." I said side stepping a skeleton.

"What's that make you then Hoss?" Ebenezar questioned me.

"A temperamental adolescent." I replied.

"Shit, thank god I only got to go through that once." Thomas said. "Couldn't imagine going through that twice."

I looked at him and started laughing. "Self centred as ever I see."

It didn't take us long to reach the end of the dungeon. There was a single door which separated the dungeon from the underground world of Chicago. Stuff of nightmares resided behind that door, and I was sure as hell that no one in the group wanted to open it.

But we had to.

Thomas opened it and we all followed him through. It was pitch black on the other side. I channelled some of my energy into my amulet and gave Thomas a quick look to keep his hidden.

Sanya, Morgan, Ramirez and Billie went back into the dungeon and came back holding torches in front of them for light. Morgan brought two, one for him and the other for Ebenezar. Sanya also brought two and gave the second to Thomas.

"Keep leading the way, Thomas." Sanya said to him in his thick Russian accent, smiling at him as he handed the torch over.

"Thank you." Thomas smiled back before turning to lead the way again.

All the wizards there, including Ivy, had their magic ready for an attack from a creature that would reside in such a place. Thomas had his gun in his hand as he led and Kincaid had a variety of weapons at hand. If anything, it was dangerous for any of us to be in front of him if we got attacked.

Thomas led us to another door which was metal. It swung open on touch. I thought that was impressive until I realised it hadn't been locked.

Thomas led us into the sewers which smelt bad, and I mean _bad. _There was like a wall of smell that we had to pass through and everyone pulled a face as they past through it, but it's a small price to pay for not being ripped, blown or torn to pieces on the Raith Manor grounds.

We walked along side the channel of foul looking and smelling water in the sewer on the path put there for maintenance. We all walked single file and in silence. Because we were all silent, we could here the rats squeaking among other noises of the sewer.

They should make a compilation CD,_ 'Sounds of the sewers'_.

Thomas was still leading the way and we walked behind him for a few minutes trusting that he knew where he was going. After a few minutes he stopped and looked up at a manhole cover, a ladder running up the side of the wall.

"This is it." Thomas said. The road is up above us."

"How can you be so sure?" Morgan snarled at him. "How do we know you've not just led us into another trap?"

Thomas seemed unfazed by the lack of confidence shown in him and instead scratched his eyebrow instead before answering. "I've been here before."

"Don't lie; I have the power to remove your head from your shoulders vampire." Morgan lifted his sword in a threatening gesture. Ramirez moved forward, slid past me and looked up at our way out while Morgan continued threatening Thomas.

"Cool it Morgan." I said to him. "If he wanted you dead he wouldn't have gone toe to toe with the Black Court vampire who went for you."

"How can you be so sure he's telling us the truth Dresden? Where's there evidence that he has been here before." Morgan spat squaring up to me.

"On the wall." Said Ramirez. We both turned to look at him. Ramirez pointed his finger at the wall where some writing could be just made out from our distance from it. "It read, _Thomas was 'ere_."

I looked back at Morgan who looked very upset. Everyone thought it was funny though. Another civil war averted.

"Who's first then?" I asked.

"I'll go." Said Ramirez; not leaving much choice in the matter for me since he was already starting to climb up the ladder.

I nodded to Ebenezar. "You next, we need some wizards up there in case of an attack."

Ebenezar nodded at me and started to climb.

I looked past him and shouted to Ramirez who had gotten the manhole cover off and was now on the road, "How is it on the surface?"

"Dark, but it's definitely the road we travelled to the party on."

"Kincaid, you and Ivy next; phone Murphy." He nodded to me as he past carrying Ivy.

I turned to look at Thomas. "Impressive." I said to him; and mouthed to him with my back to the others 'proud of you' which made him smile.

I could hear foot falls approaching us, fast. I spun and looked at Morgan, Michael and Sanya who were drawing their out their weapons ready for combat. I looked back up the escape route Thomas had so kindly led us too and yelled to Ramirez and Kincaid.

"Stay up there – don't come back down!" I yelled. "Get Murphy here and fast!"

Ramirez's face appeared looking puzzled. "What Harry? What's happening?"

"We've been followed!" My voice echoed up the tube. I didn't care because it no longer mattered, what was following us already knew we were there. "Keep up there! Don't come down to help, we will be retreating one at a time. Watch for attackers!" A piercing scream came from behind me. "Keep a good watch for attackers and be ready for them!" I yelled before shoving Toot-toot to the ladder. He could fly up or climb, I didn't care, as long as he got out.

"Harry!" Michael yelled as a Black Court vampire rounded the last corner and found us. Michael had his sword in his hand and was ready for battle with Sanya on his left who was also ready for battle. I saw out of the corner of my eye that Thomas had grabbed Billie and was forcing him to go up the ladder before he even had a chance of changing into a werewolf again. Billie looked reluctant to leave us to battle on our own, but he went.

More Black Court vampires appeared around the corner behind the first and my heart sank. Morgan struck the first blow; blasting three in one go into a nearby wall with a deafening crunch of breaking bones.

The vampires charged us, and we retaliated with as much force as we could muster. Thomas had found yet another gun on him; Michael and Sanya swung their swords and cut down vampire after vampire with them while Morgan blasted magic everywhere which admittedly was very well aimed. One vampire got past Sanya and went for Thomas and knocked me off balance.

I fell in the fowl water. Sewage, yuck!

My head broke the surface to see Thomas causing some damage to the vampire who had knocked me in the water. I still had my blasting rod so I lined it up with the vampire and unleashed a whole can of whoop ass on him.

The blast knocked the vampire away from Thomas and sent him flying down the tunnel in the opposite direction in which it arrived before slamming into a wall.

I heard a splash off to my side. I looked around to see a vampire in the water with me. They stank enough as it was so a little bit of sewage wouldn't hurt their already rancid smell. A gun shot rang out over my head temporarily deafening me; the vampire screamed in pain. I felt a hand grab me and pull me out to find that it was Thomas who had done it while Sanya and Morgan were still going toe to toe with the other vampires while Michael climbed up the ladder.

Thomas shot the vampire in the water again as it tried for me again. The shot slowed it down but it never stopped like it had the first time. All the gun shots were doing now was pissing it off.

I was dragged clear from the water as the vampire lunged for me. In defence I hit it over the head with my blasting rod before blasting another vampire with it as it was trying to jump Thomas from behind.

"Sanya, you next!" I rasped out, slapping my ear in an attempt to get some hearing back into it. Sanya never questioned, he dealt with the closest vampire to him before getting to the ladder.

I regained my feet and shoved Thomas out of the way of a vampire that was going to attack him from behind again while he dealt with two in front of him. I had always taken a conscious note to see if any more vampires were appearing from around the corner and as I looked again I could see that they had stopped.

You can bet that I was taking advantage of that!

"Thomas, you next!" I said as I helped him fight the three vampires that had attacked him. "Just wound them!" I yelled to the two that were left with me. "We just need the chance to get up to the road!"

I struck a vampire between the eyes with a bolt of fire sending it backwards and into the water; landing on top of the one that Thomas had shot when it went for me and I had clubbed it when it went for me again. It screamed an inhuman scream at this; I guess that even the vampires could smell how bad the sewer was.

Thomas broke free from his fight and got to the ladder and began to climb. One of the last vampires still fighting went for him and grabbed his ankle. I ran up behind it and rammed my blasting rod into the back if its head, making it turn its attention from my brother to me. Before it could even attack me, I had unleashed fire from my blasting rod on it, blasting it away from me, screaming and cursing as fire licked at its rotting body. I grabbed Morgan by the clothing on his shoulder and yanked him away from the last vampire and took over from where I had forced him to leave off.

I swung my blasting rod and yelled '_Forzare_', blasting the last vampire in front of me away from me. I started to move back towards the ladder. I knocked the vampire away again as it got back up and went for me. The third time I put a lot of energy into it and the blast from my rod left a hole in its stomach. It screamed in pain as it fell to the floor withering.

I took that as my cue and started to climb.

As I climbed I heard the screams of more vampires coming. Word had obviously gotten around that we had done a runner through the dungeon. I started to climb faster if that was at all possible.

As my fingers felt the road around the rim, I felt three sets of hands grab me, two on the arms and one by the clothing on my back and dragged me the remaining way; it was Sanya, Ramirez and Thomas. I looked back down the ladder to the bottom to see a vampire starting to climb. Ramirez plucked three grenades from his belt, pulled the pins and shouted "fire in the hole!" Everyone cleared away from the rim of the manhole as he chucked them down to the sewer below.

A few seconds later we all heard an almighty boom and lots of inhuman screams which meant that the grenades had done their job and had ripped a few vamps to pieces. Thomas replaced the manhole cover after Ramirez chucked another two grenades down the hole. The vampires tried to chuck them back up but they impacted the cover and fell back down, exploding among them and causing more damage.

I stood and spun around on my feet. Where was Murphy? "Have you phoned Murphy Kincaid?" I yelled to him.

"Yeah of course I have Dresden!" he yelled back to me.

The manhole cover moved slightly and Thomas, Ramirez, Sanya and I all lunged at it, sitting on it in an attempt to keep it in place a while longer. A vampire below shouldered the lid from beneath making all of us including the lid raise into the air slightly before coming back down. It shook us up a little at how powerful they were.

"How long can we hold this?" Sanya asked as the lid was shouldered again sending us into the air again only to land on our butts again on the lid.

"Not long!" Thomas said. "If Murphy isn't here in time, we'll have to fight again."

"We have to hold on as long as we can. Morgan, Michael, help us!" It was a squeeze to get us all sat on the manhole cover, but we did. We even got Billie stood in the middle to add even more weight to it. The vampires below were still shouldering the manhole cover, but with less effect than before. Kincaid was stood with his gun ready to fire in case we were all sent flying and the manhole cover came off the hole, letting the vampires up. It was a good plan to take as many vampires down in the opening moments of the battle; less work later.

The tension mounted as the impacts became more powerful and harder. Obviously the first vampire to start the trend had relieved it position to another more powerful one. That was obvious when we were all sent up in the air again for the first time in minutes. That's when it struck me.

"It's a diversion!" I said. "They know where we are, so they are keeping us busy while a bigger, nastier group is coming from another direction to take us by surprise."

"What!" Everyone surrounding me said.

"We got to go now!" I shouted just as Murphy's mini could be seen coming over the hill.

"Harry, how are we going to keep the man-hole cover in place after we move?" Billie asked.

"How about Georgia's car. It's heavy enough that if she parks a wheel on it, it should hold them below long enough for us to get into the cars and away." Ramirez said. "Sound like a plan?"

"Sounds like a plan." I said.

Murphy pulled up next to all of us sat on the manhole cover and shouted through the open window, "You getting in or waiting to be run over by the next oncoming car."

"Get Georgia and her monster truck down here, we need her car wheel on this manhole." I told her. Murphy looked at us gone out for a second before we were all sent back into the air by the vampires below. Her eyebrows shot up as we landed back on the cover and started issuing orders into her radio.

Georgia's car pulled past the other mini's and we all dived one way or another to avoid being run over as she parked her car wheel on the manhole cover. We sat (or stood) where we were to see if it would work not daring to breath. There was an almighty bang, and Georgia's car didn't move.

We all let out a breath of relief as we ran to the cars. Everyone ran to the cars originally assigned to them (splitting the wizards up so no cars broke down was now in the front of everyone's mind since we needed the cars to run away).

I dived into the front seat of Murphy's car while Ramirez and Michael dived into the back; all three of us breathing heavily because of the adrenaline in our systems making our hearts race. I looked across to Murphy.

"Harry, you stink!" Murphy's hand shot to her nose.

"Oh very funny Murphy. You just have to sit next to me, try being me!" I screwed up my face at her. "Drive! We're going to be attacked!" Murphy floored the accelerated and the mini speed off closely followed by the other two and the monster truck.

That was when we saw three large cars speeding towards us.

"Murphy how well do you know Chicago?" I asked staring out of the window.

"Well, why?"

"We've got to loose these guys and fast."

A/N: _I'm not calling a manhole cover a person-hole cover – I refuse to give into political correctness just because someone with a fancy degree thinks I should. Political correctness gone mad – that's England! _

_Rant over – thanks for reading and I hope you like. _


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Murphy, how fast can this tin can on wheels go?" I shouted above the radio. I chucked it into the back seat with Ramirez and he instantly jumped into _take control of situation _mode. Thank god he was because I was about to try something that shouldn't be even tried by a Hollywood stunt man.

"Shit there are vamps in those cars!" shouted Billie.

"I know, ones looking directly at me!" replied Sanya.

"Got a plan Harry?" Thomas asked.

I nodded to Ramirez. "You know what, I think he has." Ramirez told everyone grinning. I'm starting to think that grin is stuck on his face whether he wants it or not.

"Murphy don't suddenly stop." I told her as I grabbed my blasting rod and blew the sunroof off with it.

"Harry? Harry!" She screamed as she realised what I was trying to do.

I looked back to Ramirez before I took off out the roof. "Tell Thomas I need him to drive the car he's in." Ramirez nodded at me and got back on to the radio.

"Harry you can't be serious?" Michael said stunned.

"Oh you bet he's serious." Grinned Ramirez. "Good luck Harry!"

"Thanks." I said before poking half my body out of the sun roof. The car behind was being driven now by Thomas and I motioned him to get around the side of the mini I was in. As he did, the original driver moved into the back seat between Billie and Toot-toot. Thomas sped the mini up and lined it up next to Murphy's. I climbed out onto the roof and jumped between the cars.

That was an experience I will never forget.

I didn't actually jump though; but it was the closest I was going to ever get to it. You have to understand, I'm mad; not insane. Thomas got the mini close enough for me to grab Billie's hands as he managed to get the sun roof to pull back enough to get his head and arms to get through. I broke the sunroof and fell into the mini. I climbed into the passenger seat and looked at Thomas.

"Like your hair." He commented to me. "Windswept and interesting?"

"Give me styling tips later." I smirked slightly. I looked back to Billie. "Tell Murphy to speed up."

"So what's the plan or do I dare ask?" Thomas asked. I think he meant the last part.

"We go last, I blow a few cars up with my blasting rod while sticking my head out of the sunroof and you get to be the best looking boy racer that has ever graced the roads of Chicago."

Thomas chuckled slightly. "Well, you have the best looking part right." He looked at me, his face serious. "Right; Billie tell every car to get in front of us." Billie nodded and got to it.

I looked out the window to see every car speeding up. We were already racing, according to Thomas we were going over 80mph. That's fast for a mini as far as I knew. I was just glad it went that fast since the cars with the vampires in were closing the distance between us and them, and they were doing it fast.

Thomas swerved in at the end on the convoy and I stuck my head out of the sun roof again and pointed my blasting rod at the black (expensive looking) car which seated about four vampires in it. "_Forzare_" I yelled. My blasting rod sent out a large quantity of flame which impacted the lead car behind us. I kept up the attack until my anger of it not working linked it in with my hell fire.

The hell fire caused the car to explode. The second car crashed into the burning wreckage making more casualties as well as a bigger car crash overall.

I collapsed back into the passenger seat thinking of my next move. I could smell sulphur around me and it was apparent everyone else could too but everyone was too polite to make a comment about it.

"I've just caused a car to explode with four Black Court vampires in it. You know what the shame is?" I asked Thomas.

Thomas thought for a few moments. "What is the shame of it then?" He asked slightly puzzled.

"The car could seat five." I answered.

Thomas looked at me and started to laugh. Billie in the back also thought it was funny; he broad cast it over the radio with the results of what happened.

"Wahoo! Harry's the man!" Ramirez cried while laughter could be heard in the background from Murphy and Michael.

"Well done Hoss!" Ebenezar praised me.

"Knew you could do it Harry!" Sanya said.

"What about the last car?" Ramirez added.

An idea popped in my head which was mad enough that it might just work. I was suddenly glad I swapped cars. "Ramirez, you're helping me with that one." I said into the radio. "Let's put that glove of yours to good use. Those green blasts of light and that shield; use them while I distract them." Thomas became level with Murphy's car again as Murphy pulled back behind the car she was previously leading. I motioned for Ramirez to stand up through the sunroof like I had.

"Gotcha Harry." Ramirez said handing the radio over to Michael who looked at him like he did me – as though he was insane. Ramirez appeared through the sunroof that I broken with his gloved hand ready and pointing at the last car. I climbed up through my sunroof and pointed my blasting rod at them and unleashed more fire at them.

The vampires were so busy looking at me they never noticed Ramirez had just covered the entire width of the road with his green jelly looking shield. His shield doesn't work like mine; where mine makes things bounce off of it, Ramirez's lets things pass threw and keep the same velocity but breaks down the mass of the object and produces sand like particles which even at high speeds is pretty harmless unless you get some in your eyes or are allergic to a bit of discomfort.

The car passed straight threw the shield and I thanked god Ivy was in the car now leading the convoy because that meant that she couldn't have seen what was produced by Ramirez's shield when the vampires in a car pass threw it.

Lets just say; that road will need cleaning and soon.

Ramirez shouted something I couldn't make out before disappearing back inside the car, his face lit with triumph.

I jumped back into the passenger seat again. "Good driving Thomas." I looked back out the window; no more cars full of vampires were following us.

He nodded at me in acceptance but something was plaguing him. "Harry, why did you switch cars?"

"Because, they were more likely to just want us two. I'm the world's biggest pain to them and you're the last son of Raith. My bets were on them coming after us, so if all failed I was going to tell you to break off and make them follow us and not the rest of them." I yawned. Fighting takes a lot out of you.

"Why would I be a problem?" Thomas asked. He wasn't trying to get out of the possibility of him being one of the reasons they came after us, he was trying to figure out why he could be important.

"Because if they killed you, the house of Raith no longer has a male heir to the throne – exiled or not. It would be so much easier to take over power if you're not around to appear and claim blood line to it. Besides, after tonight we have proven that where there is you, there is likely to be me; and if I'm involved their plans tend to get foiled." I chuckled. Damn, how do I get myself into these situations?

"Two birds with one stone?" Billie asked from the back seat.

"Exactly." I smiled at him. "Take the two pains out and their plans all of a sudden have more of a success rate than they would have had before."

"So where are we going? We can't drive around all night." Thomas asked me. I could feel the cogs going around in my head trying to think of a good place to go. There was a good chance my place would be under watch and most of the people in the group didn't live in Chicago. I didn't want anyone knowing where Billie lived either; it might just be my paranoia, but once the word is out where he lives his place would instantly become a target; not to mention the amount of people out there who want a way to get to me. Don't want the baddies knowing anything more than they already do.

I claimed the radio back off Billie. "Murphy, can we hold up at your place for a while? There's a good chance mine would be under surveillance."

There was a few moments worth of silence before she eventually answered, "sure." She didn't sound happy; this must be the third time now I've invaded her house.

"Sorry Murph." I apologised to her.

I really meant it too.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

Chapter 10:

Murphy's house is a nice little place which has one powerful kick ass threshold. This was because the house used to belong to Murphy's grandma so the house had a lot of family love and experiences built up in it creating the threshold. That's the down side to my place; I have a threshold but because it's rented, it isn't a very good one. I more or less rely on the wards I have built around the place.

Murphy looked at everyone peculiarly as we all stood outside her door waiting for an invitation in. We didn't want to loose a chunk of our powers just because we passed through a threshold uninvited; what happens if we are attacked?

Toot-toot was dropped off by an ally of his choice. He didn't want a part in the event any further and we agreed for him to leave while the going was good. Heck, we all would have loved nothing more than to go home. As well as this, Georgia and Billie left too once we reached Murphy's house. Even though there was some argument about them leaving, I encouraged them to go; I didn't want them around if things went pair shaped again. If they could disappear from view and lay low (which they promised to do) I saw no reason why not; they were nothing compared to the threat two knights of the cross, a white court vampire with an important blood line, a well armed mercenary, the archive and four wizards were. It also meant less people to worry about. But I still told them to phone when they got home just to let us know they had gotten there alright.

We also told the two SI officers to go home, which left us with two mini's and Murphy's car if we needed to make a hasty escape (or the Nevernever but I wasn't keen on using it unless we desperately had too).

Anyway – Murphy invited us all in eventually. Ivy got to sleep in Murphy's guest room while the rest of us got to sit in the living room with coffee talking about our next move and what the hell had happened.

It was just our luck no one saw who started the fight.

"The reality behind it now is either they pursue us and try to kill us, or they leave us alone and wait for the next opportune moment before striking at us again." I said sitting forward on the couch.

"What are the chances of them pursuing us to kill us?" asked Sanya.

"They can do it as longs as it is dark." Ebenezar told him. "Only White Court can go out in the daylight, and right now they aren't our number one problem."

"The Raith family threw the party as a peace push." I chucked in. "They intended on proving that everyone could get along and that the war should be ended."

"They don't want any of the vampire courts fighting with wizards because wizards would group all the vampire courts together stereotypically." Thomas said across from me. "The court has nothing to gain from the fighting. If anything the fighting is causing a power fight internally in the court."

"You mean between the houses?" Ramirez asked.

"Yeah. Currently my family is on top but in a power struggle they would be fighting to retain and defend that position." Thomas shook his head. "The white court does not share the enthusiasm that the other vampire courts share concerning the war."

"That's why the attacks have been from the Red and Black courts." I said.

"But we have to win the war and not give into a piece treaty. If they are given chance to rearm and create a bigger fighting force, then we will lose when they attack us again twenty years down the line." Ramirez appeared to be well informed and very forward thinking.

"Exactly." I said finishing my coffee. I would have given anything for a beer, but I couldn't drink, I needed my whole head to think of a way out of this situation.

"So now what?" asked Michael looking like he was grasping what we were talking about, but not quite believing it.

"We call a council meeting; inform the rest of the court about what is going on." I said. "Ramirez, can you set that up?"

"Of course I can." Ramirez said standing up. Murphy appeared from outside again and pointed him towards a phone out of the room we were all in.

We didn't have much else to talk about. Morning wasn't far off and we all decided that a bit of rest wouldn't do anyone any harm. Ramirez appeared again after half an hour and told us that the council meeting was the next day and would start at three in the afternoon. I was nervous that the meeting was going that long away but Ramirez assured me that it was the closest he could get it (apparently they originally wanted it to be next week).

Murphy busied herself while most of what was left of us was dozed on the couch or floor. I was still awake due to all the coffee; so were Sanya and Thomas. I sat staring out of the window while Thomas stared off into his own world and Sanya sat sorting his sword out. It's not like we had anything else better to do.

I continued to stare out of the window when Thomas sat next to me. He didn't say anything; he just joined me in looking out of the window. Murphy brought me another coffee and offered Thomas one which he declined. I had half drunk my coffee when Thomas sensed something was wrong. His back went rigid and then he jumped to his feet, studying the area the window allowed him to see.

That's when the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

"Harry?" Thomas whispered.

"I know." I said moving across the room to wake the others. I shook Ebenezar shoulder to wake him and moved around the others doing the same thing. Morgan looked at me like I had done it to him just to spite him, but everyone else caught on when they saw Sanya and Thomas backing away from the window but their eyes never leaving it.

"What now?" asked Michael looking at me, his sword close to him.

"I haven't a clue." I said honestly back to him. "Something is out there and no one is getting good vibes of it."

"Or someone." Said Ramirez as he knelt next to the window looking out to see if he could see anything. Bit risky in my opinion, but if he saw something, it would be worth it. "There's more than one." He breathed. "Quite a few, looks like vampires again but the sky is beginning to lighten over the far horizon so they don't have long if they plan on getting back to their lairs and out of the sun."

"So whatever they plan on doing they will do it fast and swift." Said Ebenezar.

"But we only have to hold out for the sun which isn't too far off rising." I said as Kincaid disappeared out of the room to get Ivy from the spare bedroom.

Murphy appeared from the kitchen and knelt next to me. "Dresden, there's someone in the back yard." She said which made Ebenezar and Morgan move into the kitchen to watch the yard from the kitchen window.

"They are flanking us Dresden." Kincaid said as he appeared back with Ivy in his arms and placed her on the couch. "They have the whole building surrounded."

"What weapons do you have left?" asked Murphy. It wasn't directed just at me, but at the whole group.

"The knights have their swords which are their weapon of choice; I still have everything I went to the party with, same for Ramirez, Ebenezar and Morgan. Its Thomas and Kincaid that have a weapon shortage problem; they used and lost most of their weapons whilst fighting at the party." I sighed. I knew Thomas could go toe to toe with a black court vampire which I was under the assumption was surrounding Murphy's place, but a weapon would have been accepted by him gratefully.

Murphy smiled at me. "Don't worry boys, I have a few weapons for you to use." She disappeared out of the room and reappeared a minute later dragging a large wooden chest that must have cost her a fortune.

Damn, I'm in the wrong business.

She dragged it into the living room and opened it. I looked in to find crucifixes (big wooden ones as well as silver, gold and iron) as well as holy water stored in bottles. She also had wooden stakes, bottles of flammable liquids and lighters to send a vampire up in flames and knives and daggers made out of silver. As I looked around the chest, I felt a surge of pride that Murphy was prepared so well.

She did listen after all; and she had done her homework.

"Bloody hell;" commented Ramirez as he looked in, "armoured vehicle perhaps?"

"That's in my _other_ wooden chest." Murphy said and Ramirez grinned at her. Kincaid and Thomas started collecting weapons from the chest and Murphy disappeared again. She appeared with a large water gun and a large glass bottle full off water. I instantly knew that the water was holy water and she planned on putting it in the water pistol.

Smart Murphy: get them without getting to close to them so they can't get you. Very forward thinking.

She loaded the gun and gave it to Thomas who had also caught on to what she was doing. I was grateful that religious items didn't affect Thomas because what weapons were in the chest were all the weapons he now had since he lost all his previous ones at the party. Murphy disappeared for one last time to return with two hand guns and a lot of ammo.

We were ready to battle with the best of them.

We were all stood in the living room (apart from Morgan and Ebenezar who were still stood in the kitchen watching the back yard intruders), our hearts racing at what the attackers were waiting for. The things on everyone's minds were 'trap' and 'they have a plan' as well as 'what are they waiting for'. I motioned for Thomas to move the wooden chest in front of the door that lead out of the room of which Murphy had disappeared through so many times. I helped him barricade the door with the chest, leaving the lid open so new weapons were in grabbing distance in case they were needed to replace lost ones lost during the fight. Ramirez and Kincaid started to move the couch so it ran parallel to the window for something to hide behind. It wasn't much but would be much appreciated by all. Michael and Sanya followed their lead and got the other couch and ran it parallel to the first couch and the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room, leaving a gap for people to jump into if they needed to. Kincaid put Ivy in that gap and told her to stay low and out of sight.

I nodded to all of them showing that their ideas were much needed and appreciated. When I looked back out of the window I could see a large group of vampires looking in at us, smirking like all our efforts were useless against them. I hope that a group (large at that) of cocky vampires were an advantage for us; it might make them more likely to make mistakes.

We had a staring match out of the window; me and what I assume to be the leader of the group when the first attack came. It came from the kitchen. I hadn't known that Morgan and Ebenezar had stayed out of sight in the kitchen so the vampires in the back yard thought that they could take us by surprise from behind.

No vampires made it into the kitchen; they were all killed or seriously injured before they even made it to the windows or door. No one in the living room though paid any attention to the fighting in the kitchen though because moments later after that attack began we were attacked from the front by; yes believe it; zombies.

Someone had broken one of the laws of magic; with Wardens around. How stupid can you get!

That was going to go down well at the council meeting, but we had to survive the fight in order to let the council know.

Thomas got rid of the water gun on one of the couches and drew out two of the silver daggers that Murphy had provided him with while I swung my blasting rod and opened up fire on the nearest zombies.

We were fighting through the window so only the people who were stood in front of the window could fight; anyone behind couldn't in fear of killing or injuring those in front of them. So the fighting mainly came from me Thomas and Murphy.

Murphy used up all he ammunition and fell back to the couches and Ramirez took her place at the window. Thomas was the next to fall back and was replaced by Michael who swung his sword without mercy and anything that came in striking distance of it. I was the last to fall back and I was replaced by Kincaid who fought with some wicked looking blades that he had just improvised from Murphy's stash.

I looked back into the kitchen to see Morgan and Ebenezar fighting. They were dealing with vampires and I grabbed the water gun and started to put the water in the gun under pressure. After ten seconds I raced into the kitchen and shot the holy water into the face of a vampire that was half through one of the windows. It fell back out screaming in shock and pain. Thomas appeared behind me and as I looked around I could see Michael had been replaced by Sanya and Kincaid had been replaced by Murphy.

I looked back around with my blasting rod ready for battle again to see Thomas plunge a stake into the heart of a vampire nearly through one of the windows.

Then the lights went out.

Why? Who would do that when everyone in the house could see by the light that dawn was bringing? It wasn't like we were fighting in the middle of the night.

I raced back into the living room and jumped over the couches and landed next to the chest. I was in serious danger of being injured by my own side but the wooden chest had the weapon I wanted to use. I pulled out two of the bottles of flammable liquids and grabbed a couple of lighters from the pouch attached to the lid. The bottles had a spray nozzle so the liquid could be directed at what ever I want it to go. I raced back into the kitchen and passed one to Thomas. I then attacked a vampire who had managed to get into the kitchen by the door with it, spraying him with it and then setting him alight with the lighter. The vampire screamed and started to claw at me. I moved out of its reach and managed to get the kitchen table in the middle of me and him. Kincaid appeared through the living room door and staked the vampire from behind. He pulled his hand back in a sudden, swift motion as the flames were about to burn his hand.

Ivy appeared next to him and started to use her powers. Every vampire in the back yard was lifted from their feet and into the air only to be slammed back into the ground. She lifted them all into the air again and smashed them into the ground again. She did this continuously while everyone caught their breaths and or moved back into the living room to see what was happening out front.

Dawn was very close by this point and screams of frustration and hatred could be heard from outside the front of the house as well from the vampires Ivy was currently beating the crap out off.

"The vampires are leaving!" shouted Ramirez. I could barely hear him over the screaming vampires in the back yard who were thrashing desperately in the air. The sun was now rising fast and sunlight was deadly to the Black Court; they were terrified of it. Ivy wasn't about to let them go though; she continued her attack without mercy.

I looked back through the living room door to see the last of the zombies being fought off by Ramirez, Sanya and Michael. Everyone else were re-arming ready to replace those still fighting, sweat dripping off every one of them.

A few minutes later the zombies were all dealt with and everyone's attention flicked to Ivy who was still attacking the vampires in the back yard. The sun was rising fast now and the first rays of light were falling on the yard. Ivy lifted the vampires into the air one last time and held them there and let the sun finish them off. Once they were all still with no more screaming and presumed dead, Ivy dropped them back onto the ground (where lots of sunlight was and no shade). She looked tired and Kincaid grabbed her as she fell asleep on her feet, exhausted by her attack.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when it became clear the attack had ended. I looked around at Murphy who was surveying the damage caused to her home; she looked tired; extremely tired.

Thomas removed the chest from in front of the door and opened the door. "Harry." He said quietly as he looked through the door. I moved to his side to see that there was a huge hole in the wall created by one of the vampires. As I looked at it I could hear movement upstairs. I wasn't the only one who heard it. Thomas also did and reached back into the chest and drew out the last of the stakes and two large crucifixes and passed one of them to me.

I looked back on the group that now all stood in the living room either looking at me and Thomas or looking at the ceiling. I noticed Sanya held a crucifix. "Hey Sanya, come help us take care of the problem currently residing upstairs." He nodded at me and walked behind me and Thomas as we climbed the stairs. Thomas had the lead and when he reached the top of the stairs a crash could be heard in the room at the far end of the hallway.

Thomas jogged silently down the hallway in front of us and stopped just before the door we though the crash had come from. As Sanya and I caught up with him, Thomas pushed the door open with his hand and stood back in case anything attacked him from inside the room.

Nothing happened.

All three of us stood and held our breaths, our backs against the wall. Thomas was the first to move inside the room, his crucifix held in front of him and the stake in his other hand ready to stake any vampire present. We all assumed it was a vampire because a zombie wouldn't hide from us.

Sanya and I moved into the room behind him with our crucifixes raised. We all stood back to back to each other and surveyed the room. The curtains were thick and were closed leaving the room extremely dark. In horror films I had always argued why hunt for the bad guys in the dark when you have a light source like a light switch at hand or a window where you can pull the curtains apart and let the light in. It baffled me, but it did explain why Hollywood stars had their teeth whitened so much; their teeth emitted their own light.

I broke away from the group slightly and opened the curtains letting the morning sunlight in. As the sunlight hit the wardrobe a hiss came from it making us all three of us spin around to look at it. The sunlight was fully on the wardrobe making escape for a trapped vampire impossibleif he planned on leaving via the door. There was a gap where the two doors didn't meet completely letting in sunlight, meaning that the vampire in the wardrobe didn't pick the best place in the world to hide.

I motioned for Sanya to get to the left of me and Thomas to the right and to grab a handle each and to wait for my signal to open the doors. I stood over to one side with my blasting rod and crucifix ready and motioned for the doors to be open.

Thomas and Sanya threw the doors open and a pain filled howl came from within the wardrobe. The vampire jumped out of the wardrobe and dashed out of the room knocking me over. Thomas raced after the vampire with Sanya close behind him. I jumped up from the floor and joined in the pursuit. The vampire had raced into another room which was darkish and turned around and squared up to Thomas who was the first in the room. By the time that I had time to register the threat, Thomas was thrown across the room and into me, leaving Sanya as the last one on his feet at that particular time.

Sanya swung his sword into a fighting position in front of him and stood with his feet apart ready for the vampire to attack. The vampire stood in its own fighting stance for a few seconds looking at Sanya before lunging at him. Sanya swung his sword threw the air and took the vampires head off by the neck. Thomas and I were still in a heap on the floor it happened that fast.

"Thomas get off of me!" I demanded trying to get out from beneath my brother. "You're bloody heavy you know; and you're crushing me."

"Do I have to move? I'm really comfy." Retorted Thomas.

I sighed. "Sanya?"

"You both do look like a cute couple; and I've never seen you serious with a women Harry." Sanya smirked.

"Don't comment on my sexuality. I'm yet to see you with a woman." I shot back. "Are you going to stand their and imagine something that isn't happening between Thomas and me, or are you going to get Thomas off of me before I loose the future usage of my legs."

"Okay-okay." Sanya smirked. "Keep your knickers on." He lent forward and grabbed Thomas' hand and pulled him back to his feet.

"My knickers aren't moving anywhere; they are staying exactly where they are thank you very much." I retorted as Sanya held out his hand for me to accept. I accepted it and was pulled back to my feet.

As I finally found my feet again Ramirez appeared in the doorway. "What's the plan Dresden?" His eyes fell on the vampire Sanya had taken out. "Sweet mother of Jesus." He his eyes caught Sanya stood at the other side of the room still holding his sword. "And I'm very sure she was extremely sweet and caring." He added which made Sanya laugh.

"Don't worry kid, I'm agnostic." Sanya told him.

Ramirez pulled a face at being called a kid again but never said anything against it. Sanya saw Ramirez's face and his laughter boomed around the room.

I also saw Ramirez face. "Stop pouting Ramirez, it just makes us tease you more."

"I'm not sulking Dresden."

"You're face says otherwise." Thomas chuckled.

"Okay then, dinosaur, pretty boy vampire and black Russian ninja; I'm game, but can we do this later when like, oh I don't know, when we haven't got the Black Court breathing down out necks and sending assassins after us at all hours of the day and night.

"Okay then short stuff," Sanya grinned, "another time."

"I'm not short!" Ramirez demanded.

"Yeah; and Harry can get a date with an actual woman." Thomas commented.

"Okay, let's not make this about me." I glared at Thomas for his comment. "But Ramirez is right. We have to leave; they know that we're here and they will send something that isn't affected by sunlight after us."

"Any ideas dinosaur?" asked Sanya.

"Okay, firstly, it's bad enough I have to take that attitude from him," I pointed at Ramirez, "and secondly, yes, I have an idea of a place to go." A smirked crossed my face. "Gentlemen, postpone the argument for later and let's make ourselves history from this place."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

We didn't exactly pile out of the door all at once or with the enthusiasm that you would expect after winning the battle that had torn Murphy's house apart. Truthfully; we were reluctant to leave. That ended though when Morgan took it upon himself to throw me out Murphy's back door head first.

Ouch. Not much more that I can say unless you want me to rant about how much I hate Morgan. Trust me when I say you don't want that.

As I landed on the ground I could hear Thomas making some what of a fuss about how the whole situation of me being chucked out the door by the scruff of the neck and the back of the belt had been handled. Consequently he wound up with the same treatment, but where I landed on the ground, he managed landed on top of me.

Second time that day; and the day was only beginning. I suppose the day could only get better as well, but if this was going to continue for much longer I wasn't going to be held responsible for my actions towards the individual who decided to throw my vampire half brother on top of me again.

I'm pretty sure Murphy was glaring at Morgan for his actions towards us, but there was no love loss between me and Morgan and she knew it. Also no one else was there to witness it. Damn! There were never any wardens present (other than yours truly) when you needed them.

"Thomas; get off me." I mumbled into the pavement. He's heavy I'll have you know that.

"Sorry." Thomas said as he got himself off me. "Lovely friend you have there Harry."

"Yeah, and he's as harmless as a fucking Chiwawa." I muttered more to myself than to Thomas. He heard anyway and grinned. I saw that he was going to voice some snappy come back but chose not to as Morgan appeared from the door and stood glaring at us. I picked myself up off the ground and bushed myself off. The thought of why no one wanted to go out the door first (because we were unsure if something that didn't mind sun light had been left behind from the attack to pick us off as we tried to leave) came back to the forefront of my mind again. Damn! It would have been a little late now if there was one.

Anyway; I don't know why, but my mouth _didn't_ start flapping for once in my life. It wanted to and when I was just about let it to after several seconds Ebenezar appeared next to Morgan, his timing immaculate.

"Hoss; what happened to you? You're covered in more dust and dirt than the last time I saw you." He frowned at me. So much for my quick dust down being a success.

"We were just having a debate." I smiled.

Ebenezar looked at me thoughtfully. "What about?"

"Who should go out the door first and how." Thomas answered before I could. It wasn't my first choice of words exactly but he got the point across and I wasn't going to complain about that. Ebenezar got the point and left it at that. He didn't witness it, and besides it was my battle to fight, not his.

Murphy appeared next to me and stood with a shocked expression on her face as she took in the sight of what was left of her house. I wouldn't be surprised if she was delusional about what her house would look like after the battle, and looking at her now it appeared to me that her little bubble would have not burst, but exploded.

"That's the last time I invite you bunch in my house. My insurance company is going to love me for this." She said shaking her head after finally ripping her eyes away from the carnage. "So what are we destroying next oh mighty Dresden?"

I pouted at her. "Oh very funny Murphy."

"But true." Michael chipped in as he jumped through a broken window. I gave him a glare but without the hurt in it. I have few enough friends as it is – I don't need to make that list any shorter.

"I thought we were leaving." I said walking towards one of the Mini's. Thomas fell in behind me; not to back me up but to just ask me where we were going.

"We are going to mine; unless you want wardens knowing where you live; amongst many other things." Thomas nodded in agreement with this. "Besides; where else are we going to go? We can't go to Michael's; he has a family and I'm not putting them in the firing line."

"I know; but your place might be under surveillance." Thomas countered. "Isn't there anywhere else? No where at all?"

"If we get attacked I want it on the turf of my choice, and I know every inch of my place. Besides, there is no where else to go unless we want more trouble than we already have." I meant the comment about my turf; I wanted every advantage I could get if an attack came. Admitted it would be a little cramped but with the group having shrunk a little I think we could manage it.

Looking at the cars as I approached them for the first time since the battle, I wouldn't have been surprised to have seen the tires slashed or the engines ripped apart or something else of the likes (and it would have been just my luck for that to happen as well). Amazingly though all three were left intact. The next idea that had popped into my head had obviously struck Kincaid first because he was on his hands and knees searching for any devices attached to the bottom of the cars before doing a survey of the internal workings and the passenger and driving areas. I really do admire the fact he's on his toes; even if we don't see eye to eye on a great deal of many other things.

I went for the whole drive waiting for my instincts to start acting up. Stuff like my hair standing on end and what not. I've found they are pretty good at giving me adequate warnings of impending attacks and stuff out of the ordinary that by all accounts should not be. I wasn't the only one either. Michael and Sanya both gripped their swords tightly (and I was also amazed how they got them in the car the first time let alone this time; but the first time they weren't gripping them as they would in a impending fight) while Ebenezar had a look of complete concentration on his face also waiting for his senses to spark the alert of an up coming attack.

No one spoke on the radios. I am personally use to the lack of sleep I get in these situations; but it seemed now to be taking some form of a toll on the others. I knew Morgan would go for a week without sleep if he was given orders to do so, but I also knew that if he did he would be the meanest bastard I could possibly come across; and I seem to cross him by simply being alive. Suddenly a match against several red court vampires on my lonesome seemed appealing when compared to that.

We drove past the apartment four times before pulling up in front of it. Ivy had fallen asleep during the ride and Kincaid carried her inside and put her on my bed. Everyone else piled into the apartment and I closed the door and raised the wards behind us. No one intended on taking unnecessary risks such as leaving the wards down now.

After the wards were raised I walked straight to the kitchen and took out a beer and drank it in one go. Thomas smirked as he flopped down onto my couch while Sanya and Michael just looked at me as though I had just declared that I was the king of the donut people and that my kingdom was going to war with the population of the taco empire. Looking at their faces though; I might as well have said it.

"What?" I finally gasped as I finished the beer. I gasped the question simply because I badly needed the oxygen.

"Beer for breakfast?" Michael asked astounded.

"Yeah; beer for breakfast." I grinned that infamous grin of mine that always seem to land me in some form of trouble. "I've lived to see morning, my apartment, and my loyal posse again; I think I've earned the right to have beer for breakfast. Besides; I'm a nutritional over achiever." Mister appeared as always and slammed himself into my leg and nearly knocking me over. Fussing him only made Mouse want to be fussed as well and I got that message loud and clear as the woolly mammoth ambled across the incredibly small distance that separated us, knocking Ramirez out of his way on his journey.

"That's Harry for you." Thomas yawned. I looked up from Mouse (Mister had stalked off somewhere with a distasteful look on his face because of the majorly over crowded apartment) and the one thing that struck me about Thomas then was the signs that signified that he was hungry; and not in the sense of sandwich munching hungry; but actual white court vampire hungry. As I looked past Sanya and Michael I could see Morgan knew as well as Ebenezar, and they both had their eyes fixed on him waiting for him to do something that would warrant their response. I knew Morgan well enough to know though that restraining Thomas would not cross his mind at any stage. All out execution; it must be a mind set some are born with but it is in such a way that it doesn't make society deem them as serial killers.

I felt a swell of pride in me. I knew Thomas was hungry, but it wasn't so that he would revert and attack someone so he could feed. Not yet anyway.

I squeezed past Michael and Sanya and sat next to Thomas and handed him a beer. He took it without question and proceeded to drain it in the same fashion that I had done my first.

"Drinking beer for breakfast is obviously contagious." Ramirez commented.

"If you want one, go get one. I restocked the other day so there's plenty." I said placing my second bottle which was not yet open against my forehead as I leaned back and closed my eyes. Sleep seemed a pretty good idea to me by this time.

I could hear shuffling as everyone tried to move around everyone else. The chairs were still there from the previous time and I could hear a couple of not too pleasant words muttered as someone tried to undo the pathetic job we did at stacking them in a corner (I wouldn't even call 'em stacked for that matter).

"I think I'm going to get some sleep." I heard Ebenezar say. A mutter went around in agreement. If you want to think straight you have to get some sleep some time.

"Someone should go on watch." Sanya commented. Good man, exactly what I thought.

"I'll go on watch." I said giving up the idea of sleep for a great while longer. Sometimes I really do question how I end up in these situations.

"I'll will too." Ramirez said cheerily. His cheer was beginning to irritate my last frayed nerve.

"Okay; but with Murphy being the lady, she gets the couch." I smirked at her while others stifled their laughs which had come about simply because they saw her face. Let me tell you – cold blooded murder was an understatement.

"Dresden you chivalrous pig!" she said as she glared daggers at me. "What makes you think that I want the couch?"

"Nothing." I smiled that innocent smile that I save specially to piss people off even more than they already were. Murphy knew it well enough and proceeded to show me her 'carry on and I'll kick your ass' look.

Message received loud and clear.

"Okay then; everybody else gets some shut eye. We all need it. Harry, will you be okay?" Murphy looked at me, the previous ass kicking expression replaced with a concerned one while everyone else shuffled around trying to make themselves comfortable enough so they could sleep. I don't think anyone saw her concerned expression, and knowing Murphy she wanted it that way.

Sorry for having a small apartment. I just never foresaw a group as large as this descending on the place and ransacking it. Oh well – everyone gets something wrong sometime.

"I'll be fine Karin. Just like countless other times that I don't much care to remember at the minute." I forced a chuckle in an attempt to make her relax a little and get some sleep. She studied me for several more seconds before nodding and set herself up on the couch. Hehehe – Dresden one; Murphy zero.

While the others slept (it's amazing how fast you drift off when you're physically exhausted) Ramirez and I kept watch. We didn't do much talking at first. I had the up coming meeting on my mind. I wasn't welcome as most were to these sorts of events; and I'm sure that I was invited to that function/party to swing such a meeting in favour of me starting the fighting.

After the events at Bianca's, I don't exactly blame them either. They take it over the top, but caution is a great skill to master without insulting the one your being cautions around. Quite clearly a vast majority of them on the council have yet to master this skill.

I sat on the ground with my legs crossed; my blasting rod balanced across them. I leaned my head back against the wall in a piss poor attempt to relax. But at least this time if we're attacked the first wave will bounce of the wards and this knowledge did allow me to relax more than I would have done otherwise. Well I say bounce; I really mean transformed into pancake.

"What's on your mind?" Ramirez's question snapped me back to reality.

"Huh?" I looked up at him and saw him sat on the floor with his back leaned against a wall; his legs out in front of him with one of them crossing the other. Everything about his position screamed 'I'm relaxed'. If that was truly the case then I wouldn't mind seeing him when he's in a flap; or for that matter what put him in to that flap.

"You're awfully quiet and from what I've gathered you're not usually like that." Ramirez said with a small smile.

"Like wise." I responded. "I've gathered that people have trouble shutting you up and that you like to smiling a lot."

Ramirez just smiled at me again; but this time it was purposely cheesy. I rolled my eyes, not in annoyance though. I was too tired to get annoyed to that level by anyone (Morgan was the exception to that rule though). Being annoyed took up too much energy. "I suppose it is. So come on, tell, what's on your mind?"

I raised my eyebrows at him and found myself wanting to laugh at the absurdity of the conversation. "I don't usually have wardens asking me what's on my mind. They're usually looking for reasons to put me down."

"I gathered that when I was an apprentice. I was at that meeting where they were debating whether or not to hand you over to the vampires."

That caught my attention.

"Apprentice?" I asked sitting forward.

"Yeah." He nodded his head to emphasise the point. "I think only the apprentices in that room back you with the exception of the odd wizard."

I chuckled. "How true."

"So come on for the seventh time; spill; what's on your mind?"

Something suddenly clicked in my head. Those ideas that had been swirling around my head since the meeting was decided clicked together like a jigsaw and the result scared me. I just hoped it was paranoia now and nothing else, but still I had to make a decision as to what to do. Take the risk or abandon it, but this time it was more than just me and the odd other person that I was putting in danger; it was a whole group of us this time and the group contained most of the major wardens and head honchos of the wizard world placed all in one room.

To me with that in mind, the answer was simple.

"Call the meeting off." I said. Ramirez frowned at me so I repeated myself. "Call the meeting off." Ramirez blinked at me and was a little taken back by the sharpness of my voice; so was I in all honesty. Someone asleep over the far side of my living room (which is incredibly small – just making sure you've got that) stirred. I guess I should have thought about that before I raised my voice.

"Why?" an expression of puzzlement dawned on his face.

"Think about it; if you went to all that trouble to pull off those ambushes or attacks, what would be your one aim to make those you're attacking do?"

"Group together I suppose." Ramirez said in thought trying to see where I was coming from. The split up side had occurred to me, but in the larger picture less would be gained from that strategy. Well – as far as I could see. They might have it planned so that no matter what we did, they would always come out on top.

"Group together for support, safety in numbers and the sharing of information." I added nodding. "Information is power."

"… and If you get everyone you want to kill in one place, you can get them all in one large attack."

"Exactly my thought." I said nodding my head. "Not throw everything you have at them, but damn close to it. Leave something aside in case something goes wrong."

"Another trap?" Ramirez's eyes widened with horror and his face drained of colour. He shot forward; that relaxed position gone. "Harry, are we about to walk into another trap?"

"Not just another trap;" I said "but the mother of all traps."

A/N: _Sorry it's taken me so long to get this story updated again but I've had a hard year so far and it's just brightened up for me and I can't write a Dresden fanfiction if I'm depressed; too much sarcasm to get in and what not. So anyway; sorry for the wait and I should update in the matter of days and not months this time (depending on my driving mock and test). Again – sorry for the delay. _


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